Deborah Bronnert

Her Excellency
Dame Deborah Bronnert
DCMG
British Ambassador to Russia
In office
January 2020 – 2023
MonarchsElizabeth II
Charles III
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Liz Truss
Rishi Sunak
Preceded bySir Laurie Bristow
Succeeded byNigel Casey
British Ambassador to Zimbabwe
In office
2011–2014
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterDavid Cameron
Preceded byMark Canning
Succeeded byCatriona Laing
Personal details
Born
Deborah Jane Bronnert

(1967-01-31) 31 January 1967 (age 57)
Stockport, England
EducationFeatherstone High School
Alma materUniversity of Bristol (BSc)
University College London (MA)

Dame Deborah Jane Bronnert DCMG (born 31 January 1967) is a British diplomat and civil servant. Bronnert served as British Ambassador to Russia from 2020 to 2023. Earlier in her career, she served in other positions at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), including as Ambassador to Zimbabwe from 2011 to 2014.[1]

Early life and education

She was born on 31 January 1967 and educated at Featherstone High School, Middlesex. Bronnert attended the University of Bristol, where she read Mathematics and graduated as BSc. She then pursued further studies in the Political Economy of Russia and Eastern Europe at University College London's (UCL) School of Slavonic and East European Studies, receiving a MA degree.

Career

Bronnert entered HM Civil Service in 1989, working for the Department of the Environment before being posted to the EEC UK representation in Brussels 1991–93. She then joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and was posted to Brussels again from 1995 to 1999. She served in Moscow and various other posts at the FCO,[2][3] before becoming British Ambassador to Zimbabwe from 2011 to 2014.[1]

Bronnert (left) with President Vladimir Putin in 2020

She was promoted to Director-General for Economic and Global Issues at the FCO in 2017.[3]

Ambassador to Russia

She was appointed Ambassador to Russia in January 2020.[4] Her tenure coincided with international crises, including the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[5] She left the position in October 2023.[6]

Honours

Bronnert was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 2012 Birthday Honours[7] and Dame Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (DCMG) in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to British foreign policy.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "New British Ambassador presents her credentials". British Embassy Harare. 8 September 2011. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011.
  2. ^ Bronnert, Deborah Jane. Who's Who 2018. 1 December 2017. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U247340. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4.
  3. ^ a b "Deborah Bronnert CMG". gov.uk.
  4. ^ "Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to Russia - January 2020".
  5. ^ "Final communiqué. The outgoing British ambassador to Moscow reflects on the parlous state of UK-Russian relations". Novaya Gazeta Europe. 4 November 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  6. ^ "British ambassador to Russia completes her mission — embassy". TASS. 31 October 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  7. ^ "No. 60173". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 June 2012. p. 3.
  8. ^ "No. 63918". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2022. p. N3.


DCMG star
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by British Ambassador to Zimbabwe
2011–2014 		Succeeded by
Preceded by British Ambassador to Russia
2020–present 		Incumbent