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Paul Madden

British Ambassador to Japan

Part of UK in Australia

6th September 2012

Australian sports minister rows Olympic Course at Eton Dorney

Back in London again for the Paralympics, Australian Sports Minister Senator Kate Lundy this week fulfilled her side of the gold medals wager with her UK counterpart Hugh Robertson.

Sports Ministers Hugh Robertson and Kate Lundy share a glass of champagne after the completion of their wager

When Hugh was here in March, Kate had promised to row the Olympic Rowing course at Eton Dorney if Britain got more gold medals than Australia. A keen rower, more used to Canberra’s beautiful Lake Burley Griffin, she seemed to enjoy the experience. And Hugh was on hand to offer a glass of champagne at the end. We’ve been texting each other and Kate has agreed to come round for lunch to tell us all about it when she gets back.

The good natured banter between the two sports ministers reflected the very warm relationship which underlies the fierce sporting rivalry. Hugh described Kate as a “terrific sport”. Australians have been beating themselves up a bit on their medals performance, which wasn’t quite up to the exceptional standards they usually set for themselves. But there were some fantastic performances from Team Australia and I think they have a lot to be proud of. Every Australian I have spoken to in the last few weeks has been extremely positive and genuinely sporting about the British successes.

Meanwhile, back in London, the GB/Australia sporting rivalry continues at the Paralympics.

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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Tags

2012 Eton Dorney hugh robertson Kate Lundy london Olympic wager olympics paralympics sports ministers