Frank Baker (diplomat)

His Excellency Frank Baker OBE
United Kingdom Ambassador to Iraq
Incumbent
Assumed office September 2014
Monarch	Queen Elizabeth II
Preceded by	Simon Collis
United Kingdom Ambassador to Kuwait
In office February 2010 – July 2014
Monarch	Queen Elizabeth II
Preceded by	Michael Aron
Succeeded by	Matthew Lodge
Personal details
Born	Francis Raymond Baker 27 January 1961
Citizenship	United Kingdom
Nationality	British
Spouse(s)	Maria Pilar Fernandez
Children	Two
Education	Dartford Grammar School
Awards	Officer of the Order of the British Empire (1997)

Francis Raymond "Frank" Baker, OBE (born 27 January 1961) is a British diplomat and civil servant. Since 2014, he has been Ambassador to Iraq. From 2010 to 2014, he was Ambassador to Kuwait.^[1][2]

Early life

Baker was born on 27 January 1961 to Raymond and Pamela Baker. He was educated at Dartford Grammar School, then an all-boys state grammar school in Dartford, Kent.^[2]

Diplomatic career

Baker joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 1981. For the first two years of his career, he worked in the Personnel Operations Department.^[1] From 1983 to 1986, he undertook his first posting abroad as Third Secretary at the British Embassy in Panama City, Panama.^[2] From 1986 to 1991, he was based at the British Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina; first he was Third Secretary, and later he served as Second Secretary.^[1] In 1991, he returned to England, and was a desk officer (ranking as a Second Secretary) in the Human Rights Policy Department of the FCO for two years.^[1][2] From 1993 to 1996, he was First Secretary at the British Embassy in Ankara, Turkey;^[1] he was awarded an OBE for this posting.^[3]

From 1996 to 1998, Baker was on secondment to the US Government and was based in Washington, D.C..^[1] In 1998, he was Head of the Iraq Section in the Middle East Department, FCO.^[1] Then, from 1998 to 2000, he was Private Secretary to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.^[2] From 2000 to 2003, he was Head of the Africa Department (Equatorial) in the FCO.^[1] From 2003 to 2007, he was once more based in Washington, D.C.; first, between 2003 and 2004, as Counsellor (Political/Military), and then, between 2004 and 2007, as Counsellor (Foreign and Security Policy).^[2] From 2002 to 2010, he was back working at the FCO, this time as Deputy Director Middle East.^[1]

Baker took up his first ambassadorial appointment in 2010.^[2] From February 2010 to July 2014, he was the British Ambassador to the State of Kuwait.^[2][4][5] In August 2014, he was announced as the next British Ambassador to the Republic of Iraq. He took up the appointment in September 2014.^[1]

Personal life

Baker is married to Maria Pilar Fernandez. Together, they have two children; a boy and a girl.^[6]

Honours

In the 1997 Queen's Birthday Honours, Baker was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in recognition of his service as First Secretary of the British Embassy in Ankara, Turkey.^[3] He is a recipient of the Order of Kuwait (Special Class).^[7]

References

1. "Change of Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Iraq". GOV.UK. Foreign & Commonwealth Office. 29 August 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
2. "BAKER, Francis Raymond". Who's Who 2016. Oxford University Press. November 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
3. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 54794. p. 24. 13 June 1997. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
4. Sapsted, David; Calderwood, James (2 March 2010). "British ambassador leaves Kuwait after news of infidelity". The National. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
5. "HE Ambassador Frank Baker Farewell Article". FCO Blogs. Foreign and Commonwealth Office. 16 July 2014.
6. "Frank Baker OBE". GOV.UK. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
7. "Francis Raymond (Frank) BAKER". People of Today. Debrett's. Retrieved 27 January 2016.