She will succeed Mr Alexander Ellis who has transferred to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Ms Gallard will take up her appointment during July 2011. Hey Portugal wish Ms Gallard every sucess in her new position.

Ms Gallard joined the FCO in 1991 and has spent much of her career working on EU and wider Europe/enlargement issues. Her previous Foreign Office positions include Deputy Head of Common Foreign & Security Policy Department, Private Secretary to the Permanent Under Secretary and Assistant Director of HR Operations. She was Head of Political Section in Prague when the Czech Republic joined the EU, previously served at the British Embassy in Madrid and did a short secondment to the European Commission in Brussels.

On her appointment as Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Portugal, Ms Gallard said:

“I am honoured and delighted to be appointed HM Ambassador to Portugal. I look forward to further developing the deep relationship between the UK and Portugal, the oldest alliance in the world, and to promoting our close partnership, both in the bilateral political and commercial context and in multilateral fora such as the EU, the UN and NATO. Our people and businesses help to maintain these ties in every aspect of life in our two countries.”

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