Charles Hay (OA 1983) is currently in charge of UK efforts to secure the release of UK nationals held by Hamas in Gaza as hostages. Charles has recently returned to London after working as High Commissioner to Malaysia (High Commissioner is the name given to an Ambassador in a Commonwealth country).

Neerav Patel (OA 2002) is currently His Majesty’s Ambassador to Qatar. In this role, he leads the Embassy in Doha, made up of around 70 people across eight Government departments and agencies.

Paul Brummell (OA 1983) is currently the UK ambassador to Latvia. Paul has held this role since 2021, although his work has been transformed since 24 February 2022, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

When you think of the Foreign Office - now officially the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) - what comes to mind? International travel, certainly. Meetings with high-ranking officials? Garden parties and white suits?

Officially, the FCDO is a ministerial Government department, focused on pursuing the UK’s national interests and those of British citizens, and with a view towards security and values, whilst also working to reduce poverty and tackling global challenges. Neerav succinctly sums this huge role up. “There is a wide variety of jobs in diplomacy: trade, internal politics, regional, multilateral, security, consular, comms etc. You tend to apply for a role and work in that space but there is variety over the course of a three or four-year posting. As you rise up the ranks, you cover larger teams and more of these functions.”

However, for all of these large and significant aims, the FCDO has a very human role in supporting UK nationals based around the world, particularly in response to overseas crises. Charles said, “this is an extremely important, but very stressful, part of our role. I have been involved in evacuations and responses to extreme weather events, as well as terrorist attacks”.

It is interesting to note how the role of an ambassador has changed - including the evolution of diplomacy. “The domains of diplomacy are expanding, [areas such as] science, technology and environmental issues are all far more international and require knowledge and expertise,” said Neerav. “Crises and security challenges have also become more complex and difficult. Whether it has been COVID, the collapse of Afghanistan, Russa’s invasion of Ukraine or the Israel-Gaza conflict, major international crises now tend to have a significant domestic UK angle.” Paul echoes this saying, “it is a particularly challenging time internationally, with growing threats to the rules-based international order”.

For Paul though, the biggest change has come through technology. “The replacement of letter by email has led to a much closer relationship between overseas posts and Head Office. And the way in which Embassies communicate to local people in our host countries has transformed: a reliance on influencing journalists through interviews and press releases has given way to direct contact through social media.”

Certainly, the chance to live in and experience different parts of the world makes this a job unlike any other. Neerav, who has been based mostly in the Middle East, said, “it is so diverse, and full of the most amazing cultures, people and the most challenging policy issues”. For Charles, there was also the chance to see places before they became too commercial. “My first posting was the Czech Republic, and Prague in the 1990s was still relatively undiscovered and a magical place. I was also incredibly fortunate to have worked on, and taken part in, the first ever state visit there in 1996. It was amazing to witness HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh meeting President Havel.”

Discovering largely unknown regions is something that also resonates with Paul. “I’ve spent a good deal of time in Central Asia, as Ambassador to Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, also covering Kyrgyzstan in the latter role. I spent my free time in Turkmenistan writing the first English language travel guide to the country and have continued with travel writing in subsequent postings.”

Despite this, it is clear that the role of ambassador can be extremely challenging. Charles spent two years as a Consular Director, in charge of providing assistance globally to British Nationals in difficulties. “By definition, all are going through a difficult time, and sometimes an appallingly tragic episode such as a serious criminal attack or death overseas. Working with victims and their families is a very difficult aspect of the role, but one of the most important things we do.”

Neerav agreed that one of the toughest parts of the role was “breaking bad news to families in consular cases”. In his current role, Neerav is also engaged in helping to secure a mediated end of the conflict in Gaza. He said: “The work is painstaking, difficult and frustrating. But there is not a single day that I have ever had to ask myself ‘why am I doing this?’”.

For both Charles and Paul, the route into the FCDO seem to have been rooted in childhood interests. “My interest in global issues was sparked as a boy - my father was also a diplomat and had postings in Laos and Australia,” said Charles. “I had also become interested in military affairs and joined the CCF at school and the OTC at university, so I was faced with a choice between the army or Foreign Office. I went to Sandhurst and served for five years in the Gordon Highlanders but decided that a long-term career in the army was not for me. I retried for the FCDO and was successful; my first role was working on NATO and European security, and it was fascinating to be dealing with issues like the future of NATO having just come in as a lowly Captain!”

Paul said, “My earliest memories are of sitting on the floor of my grandparents’ house drawing an intricate map of Norway. My parents were a little disappointed that I chose to do a degree in Geography - they didn’t see it was a particularly practical choice and would have preferred me to study Medicine. They were placated when I was offered a job at the FCDO though!”

Interestingly, Neerav doesn’t technically work for the Foreign Office, despite being on his fourth posting. “I am ‘on loan’ from my home department, the Cabinet Office. I joined the Civil Service straight from university, initially as an Economist in the Home Office, and then did some international-facing policy work in Number 10, which gave me the experience to compete for some FCDO jobs advertised internally.”

Despite their differing routes in, postings, and experiences overseas, it is clear that all three OAs love what they do. Neerav said, “it is an amazing job. Don’t be intimidated or put off by stereotypes. There is no single mould of a good diplomat. The FCDO wants the most talented people, regardless of background.” This is echoed by Charles, who said, “I cannot imagine any other career that would have been as interesting: as a diplomat, you get to be in the room where decisions are being taken that will literally affect the world”.