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Paul Madden

British Ambassador to Japan

Part of UK in Australia

31st January 2014

Defence Advisers

Brigadier Will Taylor, Chief of the Australian Defence Force David Hurley and HE Paul Madden

Last night the Defence Minister and a range of other senior defence figures came to dinner at my residence, Westminster House. They joined us to bid farewell to my Defence Adviser, Brigadier Will Taylor, at the end of his tour in Canberra. They enjoyed supping from my range of British ales, including Spitfire and Bombadier.

Brigadier Will Taylor, Chief of the Australian Defence Force David Hurley and HE Paul Madden
Brigadier Will Taylor, Chief of the Australian Defence Force David Hurley and HE Paul Madden

Their presence was a tribute both to the respect in which Will is held, and to the very warm relationships between our two militaries, whose close cultural familiarity is rooted in a shared history in peace and war around the globe. There are many personnel exchanges, as we both seek to learn from each other’s experience. And in recent years British and Australian forces have worked closely together on operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Last year Will was instrumental in the conclusion of the new UK/Australia Defence Cooperation Treaty.

For a High Commissioner it’s very useful to have a senior military officer on your team. Will, who leaves the service at the end of his posting here, brought to the job an expertise and credibility derived from his lengthy military experience. As a Royal Marine he has seen action in some of the most challenging trouble spots of the last three decades. Here in Canberra he has developed an excellent understanding of Australian defence policy and strong networks across the system. He also works closely with other members of the High Commission team, including UK Trade & Investment to support wider British interests in Australia, from foreign policy to business.

DAs – as they’re known in the trade – turn up at our meetings and receptions in a bewildering array of uniforms. They add a lustre to our events and often leave the humble diplomats feeling positively dowdy in our business suits. The Royal Marines’ dress uniform is in a class of its own for smartness. Will hands over to Commodore Richard Powell, a highly experienced Royal Navy officer – who I am sure will continue to add a splash of colour to our lives with an equally exotic range of uniforms.

1 comment on “Defence Advisers

  1. I am a former member of the FCO and ex Director International of Rolls Royce. I would like to send an email to the High Commisioner about commemorating pilots from 54 Squadron RAF who were killed during the war in operations from Darwin. The email address contained in the High Commisions website, rejects my effort as being too long!

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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.