Nigel Baker

For the English cricketer, see Nigel Baker (cricketer).

His Excellency Nigel Baker OBE MVO
British Ambassador to Slovakia
Incumbent
Assumed office August 2020
Monarchs	Elizabeth II Charles III
Prime Minister	Boris Johnson Liz Truss Rishi Sunak
Preceded by	Andrew Garth
British Ambassador to the Holy See
In office 2011–2016
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	David Cameron
Preceded by	Francis Campbell
Succeeded by	Sally Axworthy
British Ambassador to Bolivia
In office 2007–2011
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Gordon Brown David Cameron
Preceded by	Peter Bateman
Succeeded by	Ross Denny
Personal details
Born	9 September 1966 (1966-09-09) (age 58) Birmingham, England
Spouse	Alexandra (Saša) Baker
Children	Benjamin James Baker
Alma mater	Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Occupation	Diplomat

Nigel Marcus Baker OBE MVO (born 9 September 1966) is a British diplomat, who was formerly Ambassador to Bolivia and Ambassador to the Holy See. He was Head of the Latin America department at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 2016 to 2019, and in August 2020 took up his appointment as British Ambassador to Slovakia.

Early life and education

Baker was born on 9 September 1966. He educated at Dulwich College, an all-boys private boarding school in London. He studied history at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, graduating with a first class honours Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1988: as per tradition, his BA was promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Cantab) in 1992.

Career

Baker with Pope Francis

After a brief period as researcher in the Conservative Research Department he joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 1989. After early overseas postings in Prague and Bratislava he took a research sabbatical in Verona (from 1996–97) studying Italian and European history.

Returning to the FCO, he was Head of the European Defence Section in the Security Policy Department between 1998–2000. He was then assistant Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales 2000–03, Deputy Head of Mission, Havana, 2003–06 and Ambassador to Bolivia 2007–11 before being appointed to the Holy See. He presented his credentials to Pope Benedict XVI on 9 September 2011. In 2016, he returned to the FCO as Deputy Director for the Americas and Head of the South America Department. He became Deputy Director and Head of the Latin America Department in 2018.

Baker was appointed MVO in 2003 for services to the Prince of Wales, and OBE in 2010.

In 2013, he edited Britain and the Holy See: A Celebration of 1982 and the Wider Relationship, which set out the proceedings of the 2012 Rome Colloquium on the relationship between Britain and the Holy See. Contributors include Professor Eamon Duffy, Professor Judith Champ, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Cardinal Keith Patrick O'Brien, and Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor.

In August 2020, he became Ambassador to Slovakia, succeeding Andrew Garth.

References

• BAKER, Nigel Marcus, Who's Who 2012, A & C Black, 2012; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2011, accessed 19 March 2012
• Change of Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Holy See, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, 15 April 2011
• Our Ambassador, British Embassy to the Holy See
• Nigel Baker is ambassador to the Holy See, The Telegraph, London, 15 Apr 2011