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Communications Section
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Direct dial: (254) (0) 20 2844 256/212
www.gov.uk/world/kenya

13/06/2019

PRESS RELEASE

New British High Commissioner to Kenya announced

Ms Jane Marriott OBE has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of Kenya in
succession to Mr Nic Hailey.

Ms Marriott is the first woman to be appointed to the role, and was, until recently, the Director of
the UK Government’s Joint International Counter-Terrorism Unit. Ms Marriott brings a wealth of
experience to the position, having worked across many UK Government Departments including the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Cabinet Office, the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence.
Ms Marriott previously served as Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Yemen, and British Deputy
Ambassador to Iran, and has also undertaken postings in the USA, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Ms Marriott is expected to take up her appointment in September 2019.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Full name: Jane Marriott

2016 – 2019 FCO/Home Office, Director, Joint International Counter-Terrorism

Unit

2015 – 2016 FCO, Additional Director, Middle East and North Africa Directorate

2013 – 2015 Yemen, Her Majesty’s Ambassador

2012 National Security Council, Deputy Director, Americas, Middle East

and Africa

2010 – 2011 Tehran, Chargé d’Affaires and Deputy Head of Mission

 2009 Roles as Senior Political Advisor to US Special Representative for
Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke in Washington, and as
Chief Speechwriter to the Secretary of State for Defence in London

2006 – 2009 Roles as Deputy Head of Afghanistan Group in London and in the US
CENTCOM Assessment Team under General Petraeus in Washington

2005 – 2006 Baghdad, Counsellor (Political-Military and Economic)

2004 – 2005 FCO, Team Leader (Political-Military) and acting Deputy Head, Iraq
Policy Unit

2004 Kabul, Political Advisor to the Combined Coalition Forces

2003 – 2004 Al Amara (Iraq), Political Advisor to the Coalition Forces

2001 – 2003 FCO, Team Leader, Nuclear Non-Proliferation

1998 – 2001 Roles in Cabinet Office, Foreign Policy Secretariat, the Home Office
Criminal Justice Bill Team, and on Diversity Policy in the Cabinet
Office

Notes to Editors:

 The High Commissioner is the UK government’s representative in a Commonwealth nation.

They are responsible for the direction and work of the High Commission. To find out more
about the work of the British High Commission in Kenya, please see here.
 Ms Marriott is expected to take over from the current British High Commissioner to Kenya,
Mr Nic Hailey, in September this year. To find out more about Mr Hailey, please see here.
 Follow Jane Marriott on twitter here @JaneMarriottFCO

For further information, please contact:

Alice Simpson
Head of Communications
Alice.simpson@fco.gov.uk
0722203896