Jon Benjamin

Managing UK-Mexico governmental, parliamentary, political, commercial, defence, media and wider relationships, at federal, state and municipal level, in the world's 10th largest country by population.

Running an Embassy of 170 employees, including management of its internal budget and a programme of over £10m worth of projects, particularly in the climate change space.

Negotiating a new bilateral free trade agreement, and promoting British business opportunities in Mexico, including as President of the UK-Mexico Chamber of Commerce.

Ensuring a similarity of UK-Mexico positions in UN and international fora.

Promoting British cultural, educational, creative industry and financial service links, including through imaginative use of British 'soft power'.

Line manager of the British Ambassadors in Cuba and Panama.

Jointly led the evacuation of British nationals from Peru at the start of the COVID crisis.

Joint Director of operations to keep network of 280 British diplomatic missions in 170 countries afloat in the worst, initial period of the global pandemic.

Oversaw development and delivery of professional, classroom and virtual, learning and development products to 13,000 British diplomatic staff, and thousands more employees of other government department, through a set-up of 12 faculties, and a total budget of £20m and a staff of 40+.

Helped set up a new, in-house trade policy faculty to produce a pipeline and cadre of British trade negotiators who did not exist before Brexit, in order to negotiate new free trade deals globally.

Ran the Foreign Office language school, delivering intensive and immersive teaching to fluency in up to 80 languages, to over 400 employees at any given moment.

Acted as prime Foreign Office link to external academia, particularly in the pedological and linguistic fields.

Also, non-resident British Ambassador to Togo, Benin and Burkina Faso.

In charge of a British High Commission of nearly 250 staff, including a large visa operation and an aid programme worth £100m annually.

Responsible for the UK‘s relationship with Ghana and three other West African countries across the political, economic, commercial, defence, cultural and diaspora spectrum.

Line manager of British Ambassadors in Cote d'Ivoire, MalI and Senegal.

Ran the British Embassy in Chile (50 staff) and the UK-Chile relationship across the political, commercial, economic, defence, cultural and educational spectrum.

Particular emphasis on handling policy and logistics vis-a-vis the Falkland Islands and British Antarctic policy, while imaginatively profiling British soft power through music, sport and the arts, while pioneering Foreign Office use of social media for public diplomacy.

In charge of the UK's largest Consulate in the US, with over 150 staff, covering politics, bilateral trade, cultural relations, community relation, liaison with the US Jewish community and a large visa operation.

British Consul to the states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.

Additional overseas postings as: Political Officer at the British Embassy in Indonesia and Head of Political Section at the British Embassy in Turkey.

in London, I was Private Secretary to the Minister of Europe and Head of the Human Rights Department.

I have acted as liaison for various prominent British musical artists, including the Rolling Stones, Peter Gabriel/WOMAD and Joss Stone.

I have been the representative of Humanists UK in the Foreign Office Religion and Belief staff association. I am a prominent campaigner against antisemitism, within and outside work.

I have mentored numerous colleagues, particularly from ethnic minority backgrounds.