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Paul Madden

British Ambassador to Japan

Part of UK in Australia

27th June 2011

Trooping of the Colours in Canberra

I represented Britain at the Trooping of the Colours on 11 June. In Australia, the Queen’s Birthday weekend is a public holiday.

It was a crisp sunny day but cold, and the backdrop of Lake Burley Griffin, around which Canberra is sited, looked spectacular.  Australia’s Royal Military College, Duntroon, is celebrating its centenary this year, so its cadets put on a fine display, and their band provided some stirring music. It’s interesting how often “Waltzing Matilda” features at these events.

A large public crowd had gathered to watch the ceremony, and seemed to enjoy it greatly. No doubt many were conscious that Australia had sadly lost four soldiers in Afghanistan in the previous couple of weeks. But bipartisan political support for Australian involvement remains strong.

I was reminded of the rehearsals for the Trooping of the Colour on Horse Guards Parade in London, where the music seems to be constantly wafting in through the windows of the FCO for several weeks before hand. It’s always nice when you’re calling a colleague in London from a distant country, at this time of the year, and you can hear the military bands in the background on the phone. 

About Paul Madden

Paul Madden has been the British Ambassador to Japan from January 2017. He was Additional Director for Asia Pacific at the FCO in 2015.He was British High Commissioner to Australia…

Paul Madden has been the British Ambassador to Japan from January 2017.

He was Additional Director for Asia Pacific at the FCO in 2015.He was British High Commissioner to Australia until February 2015. Prior to this he was British High Commissioner in Singapore from 2007-2011.

A career diplomat, he was previously Managing Director at UK Trade and Investment (2004-2006), responsible for co-ordinating and
implementing international trade development strategies to support
companies across a wide range of business sectors.

As Assistant Director of Information at the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office (2003-2004) he was responsible for public diplomacy policy,
including managing the FCO funding of the BBC World Service, the British
Council and the Chevening Scholarships programme. He led the team
responsible for the award-winning UK pavilion at the Aichi Expo in Japan
2005.

He was Deputy High Commissioner in Singapore from 2000-2003 and has
also served in Washington (1996-2000) and Tokyo (1988-92). Between
1992-96 he worked on EU enlargement and Environmental issues at the FCO
in London.

Before joining FCO he worked at the Department of Trade and Industry
(1980-87) on a range of industrial sectors and trade policy, including
two years as a minister’s Private Secretary.

He has an MA in Economic Geography from Cambridge University, an MBA
from Durham University, studied Japanese at London University’s School
of Oriental and African Studies, and is a Fellow of the Royal
Geographical Society. His first book, Raffles: Lessons in Business
Leadership, was published in 2003.

Married to Sarah, with three children, he was born in 1959, in Devon.

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