Sir Robert Andrew Burns KCMG (born 21 July 1943) is a British former diplomat in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Sir Andrew Burns
Andrew Burns in 2012
United Kingdom Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust Issues
In office
10 June 2010 – September 2015
Prime MinisterDavid Cameron
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byEric Pickles
British High Commissioner to Canada
In office
2000–2003
Preceded byAnthony Goodenough
Succeeded byDavid Reddaway
British Consuls-General to Hong Kong
In office
November 1997 – June 2000
Preceded byFrancis Cornish
Succeeded byJames Hodge
British Ambassador to Israel
In office
1992–1995
Preceded byMark Elliott
Succeeded bySir David Manning
Personal details
Born
Robert Andrew Burns

(1943-07-21) 21 July 1943 (age 81)
England
EducationHighgate School
Alma materTrinity College, Cambridge (MA)

Early life

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Burns was born on 21 July 1943 and educated at Highgate School.[1] He graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge, with a Master of Arts (MA).[2]

Diplomatic career

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Burns served with the Diplomatic Service between 1965 and 2003, beginning his career as an Urdu and Hindi speaker at the British High Commission in New Delhi in the 1960s.[3] Serving in New Delhi between 1967 and 1971, the later returned to London where he served as the United Kingdom's Delegate to the Conference for Security and Co-operation in Europe between 1975 and 1981.[2] He later became Head of South Asia Department between 1986 and 1988.[3]

He held the office of Ambassador to Israel between 1992 and 1995.[4] He was later appointed as British Consul-General to Hong Kong and Macau, serving between 1997 and 2000.[5] He then became British High Commissioner to Canada, serving from 2000 to 2003.[3]

Subsequent career

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In June 2005, Burns was appointed to the BBC's Board of Governors as International Governor, replacing Dame Pauline Neville-Jones.[5]

In June 2010, he was appointed the United Kingdom's first Envoy for post-Holocaust issues.[6] He held this post until September 2015.[7] He was succeeded in the role by Sir Eric Pickles.[8]

He was Chair of Council of Royal Holloway, a constituent college of the University of London.[1] He was appointed to succeed Lady Deech as the chair of the Bar Standards Board from 1 January 2015.[9]

Burns was also previously Chairman of the China Association between 2008 and 2014 and is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce (RSA).[1]

References

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Diplomatic posts
Preceded by British Ambassador to Israel
1992–1995
Succeeded by
Preceded by British Consul-General, Hong Kong
1997–2000
Succeeded by
Preceded by British High Commissioner to Canada
2000–2003
Succeeded by
New post UK Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust Issues
2010–2015
Succeeded by