Michael Gifford

Michael John Gifford OBE (born 2 April 1961) is a British diplomat who has been the United Kingdom's Ambassador to Kazakhstan since January 2018.[1]

This article is about the British diplomat. For the British banker, see Roger Gifford.

His Excellency
Michael Gifford
OBE
Gifford in 2012
British Ambassador to Kazakhstan
Assumed office
January 2018
MonarchsElizabeth II
Charles III
Prime Minister
Preceded byCarolyn Browne
British Ambassador to North Korea
In office
2012–2015
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterDavid Cameron
Preceded byKaren Wolstenholme
Succeeded byAlastair Morgan
British Ambassador to Yemen
In office
2004–2007
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterTony Blair
Preceded byFrances Guy
Succeeded byTimothy Torlot
Personal details
Born
Michael John Gifford

(1961-04-02) 2 April 1961
NationalityBritish
SpousePatricia Owen
Children2
EducationHastings Grammar School

Career

Gifford joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1981. From 2004 until 2007 he served as the British Ambassador to Yemen. He was then the Deputy Head of Mission in Cairo. He became the Ambassador to North Korea in October 2012.[2] He left that appointment in December 2015 and was succeeded by Alastair Morgan.[3] After full-time Russian language training he was appointed to be the Ambassador to Kazakhstan from early 2018.[4] He will leave this post in late summer 2021 and retire from the Diplomatic Service.[5]

Gifford was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to British foreign policy.[6]

Personal life

Gifford is married to his wife, Patricia, and the couple have one son and one daughter.[2]

References
  1. Gifford, Michael John. Who's Who 2018. 1 December 2017. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.42706.
  2. "British Ambassador to Democratic People's Republic of Korea: Michael Gifford". Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  3. "Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea". Foreign & Commonwealth Office. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  4. "Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to Kazakhstan". Foreign & Commonwealth Office. 20 January 2017.
  5. "Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to Kazakhstan: Kathy Leach" (Press release). GOV.UK. 17 December 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  6. "No. 63571". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 2022. p. N27.


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