Security and strategy expert Ellis is our man in India

ALEX ELLIS, a British strategic expert, will take charge as the new UK high commissioner to India, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) an­nounced on Tuesday (5).

The civil servant has been serving as deputy national secu­rity adviser in the Cabinet Office for the UK government’s inte­grated review on diplomacy, de­velopment and defence.

In his new role, which will see him based in New Delhi, he will succeed Sir Philip Barton, who moved back to the UK last year to take charge of the newly-ex­panded FCDO as its permanent under-secretary.

“Mr Alex Ellis CMG has been appointed British high commis­sioner to the Republic of India in succession to Sir Philip Barton KCMG OBE. Mr Ellis will take up his appointment during January 2021,” the FCDO statement said.

Ellis, 53, is described as hav­ing experience in security issues and strategy, including as direc­tor general responsible for the UK and European Union (EU) security partnership, international agreements with the UK’s closest partners, and domestic and EU engage­ment on Brexit in the erstwhile Department for Exiting the European Union (DEx­EU).

He has served as British ambassa­dor to Brazil between 2013 and 2017 and as ambassador to Portugal be­tween 2007 and 2010. Ellis was also director of strategy in the Foreign Office, responsible for developing new tools for improving FCO and government policy.

Previously, as a member of the cabinet of the president of the European Commission, he was responsible for energy, climate change, competition, develop­ment, trade and strate­gy. He also represent­ed the UK in the EU, working on negotia­tions to establish the euro, and the seven-year budget, among others.

Ellis, who worked in the Brit­ish Embassy in Madrid, Spain, started his career as part of the team supporting the transition to multi-party democracy in South Africa, following the release from prison of Nelson Mandela.

Prior to his civil service work, he was a history teacher. His oth­er interests include singing in a choir, music, theatre and sports.

He is married to Teresa Adegas, and they have one son, Tomás.