Change of Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Zimbabwe
Deborah Bronnert has been appointed Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Republic of Zimbabwe.
Deborah Bronnert has been appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Zimbabwe in succession to Mr Mark Canning CMG who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mrs Bronnert will take up her appointment during August 2011.
Deborah Bronnert has been Director for Prosperity issues, one of the FCO’s three key priorities under the new government. In this role, she led the FCO’s work on commercial and economic diplomacy, trade policy, development issues and climate change. She has been the G8 Foreign Affairs Sous-Sherpa for the United Kingdom for the G8 Summits in L’Aquila (2009) and Deauville (2011) negotiating on issues including the L’Aquila Food Security Initiative, G8 accountability for past aid commitments and the Partnership for the Arab Spring. In addition to posts in London, she has previously served in Moscow as Economic Counsellor where she led the trade, economic, development and climate/science teams, as a member of the Rt Hon (now Lord) Neil Kinnock’s Cabinet at the European Commission in Brussels with responsibility for a broad range of subjects including EU foreign and development policy issues and at the UK Representation to the European Union. Along with a colleague, she was the first job-share Director in the FCO (from September 2008 to January 2011). She has extensive experience of development issues from a foreign policy perspective. She is a Board member of the medical emergency relief charity Merlin. Deborah Bronnert studied Mathematics at the University of Bristol for her first degree and has an MA in the Political Economy of Russia and Eastern Europe from the School of Slavonic and Eastern European Studies, University College London.
On her appointment as Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Zimbabwe, Deborah Bronnert said “I am honoured and delighted to be taking up this post at such an important time for Zimbabwe, as the parties in the Inclusive Government work towards greater reform and free and fair elections. The United Kingdom has long been a friend to the Zimbabwean people and I look forward to ensuring that that commitment remains as strong as ever.”
Curriculum Vitae
Full name:
Deborah Jane Bronnert
Married to:
Alfonso Torrents
Children:
One son
Sept 2008 - present
FCO, Director, Prosperity (previously Global and Economic Issues)
Oct 2006 - Aug 2008
FCO, Head, Future of Europe Dept, then Europe Delivery
Sept 2005 - Sept 2006
UCL, School of Slavonic and Eastern European Studies
Jun 2002 - Sept 2005
Moscow, Counsellor (Economic)
Oct 2001 - Jun 2002
Russian language training
Oct 1999 - Sept 2001
FCO, Deputy Head, Southern European Department
Mar 1995 - Oct 1999
European Commission, Member, Neil Kinnock’s Cabinet
Sept 1994 - Mar 1995
FCO, Team Leader, European Union Department (Internal)
Aug 1993 - Sept 1994
Secretariat, Sir Michael Latham’s Review of the Construction Industry
Sept 1991 - July 1993
UK Representation Brussels, Second Secretary (Environment)
Oct 1990 - Sept 1991
Member of Secretariat, Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution
Sept 1989 - Sept 1990
Department of the Environment, Fast Stream Trainee