Friis Arne Petersen

Friis Arne Petersen
Danish Ambassador to Germany
Incumbent
Assumed office 15 August 2015
Preceded by	Per Poulsen-Hansen
Danish Ambassador to China
In office 2010 – 31 July 2015
Preceded by	Jeppe Tranholm-Mikkelsen
Succeeded by	Carsten Damsgaard
Danish Ambassador to the United States
In office 2005–2010
Preceded by	Ulrik Federspiel
Succeeded by	Peter Taksøe-Jensen
Personal details
Born	(1952-11-25) 25 November 1952 Skagen, Denmark
Alma mater	University of Copenhagen

Friis Arne Petersen (born 25 November 1952) is a Danish diplomat who since 2015 has been Denmark's ambassador to Germany. From the Embassy in Berlin, Petersen is also accredited as Denmark's ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Career

Petersen was educated as Cand.polit. from the University of Copenhagen in 1978. After completing his education, he was appointed Secretary of the National Audit Office for one year. In 1979 he was employed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and in the same year was appointed as a clerk. From 1981 to 1984 Petersen was posted as the first secretary to the Danish embassy in Cairo, Egypt.

In February 1986 he became Private Secretary to the Foreign Minister's office Uffe Ellemann-Jensen. In 1990 he was appointed head of the Foreign Ministers Private Office. Petersen continued serving under Foreign Minister Niels Helveg Petersen from 1993 to 1994. In 1994 he became Head of Department with responsibility for Russia and Eastern Europe. In 1995, he was appointed under the secretary of foreign affairs. Petersen then became appointed Permanent Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs in 1997. During the period of 1997 to 2005, Ambassador Petersen served as deputy to the Danish Foreign Minister in the EU Foreign Ministers Council. Additionally, Petersen served as the Danish Government's Representative in the Danish-Russian Governmental Council during the same period.

Petersen was appointed to Washington, D.C. as Denmark's ambassador to the United States in 2005. An office he held until 2010, when he was appointed as ambassador to China for 5 years. Following this, he was appointed as Denmark's ambassador to Germany from August 2015 to 2020. While serving in Germany, he was also accredited ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Friis Arne Petersen (2nd from right) with Danish Defense Minister Søren Gade (right) meets with U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (left).

Friis Arne Petersen served as adjunct professor at Copenhagen Business School in the Department of International Economics, Government and Business from 2018 to 2022.

Furthermore, Petersen has received a number of decorations.

Honours

• Belgium: Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown
• Brazil: Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross
• Bulgaria: Grand Cross of the Stara Planina 1st class
• Denmark: Commander's Cross 1st Class of the Order of the Dannebrog
• Estonia: Cross of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana 2nd Class
• Egypt: Grand Commander's Cross of the Order of the Republic
• Finland: Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion
• Germany: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
• Greenland: Greenlands Home Rule Order of Merit Nersornaat in gold
• Japan: Order of the Rising Sun Commander of 1st Class
• Jordan: Grand Cross of the Order of Independence 1st Class
• Lithuania: Grand Commander's Cross of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas
• Luxembourg: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
• Morocco: Knight of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite
• Norway: Commander of the Order of St. Olav
• Romania: Grand Cross of the National Order of Faithful Service
• Thailand: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the White Elephant
• United Kingdom: Honorary Knight Grand Cross of Order of St Michael and St George