MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Governor Designate Alison Blake visits Falkland House in London

From dealing with Talibans to penguin territory

Governor-Designate of the Falkland Islands, Alison Blake CMG, visited Falkland House in London on Monday where she met with FIG Representative to the UK and Europe Richard Hyslop.

Alison Blake was British Ambassador to Afghanistan from April 2019 to June 2021. Prior to this, she was British High Commissioner to Bangladesh from 2016 to 2019 and a member of the FCO’s Management Board to represent the FCO Overseas network. She was appointed Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG) in 2018.

According to her official biography published by the Foreign Office, Ms Blake is a career diplomat, has considerable experience in South Asia and has helped shape British foreign and security policy, including in times of crisis and transition, over three decades. A previous posting was as Deputy High Commissioner Islamabad in Pakistan (2011 to 2014).

Alison gained in Oxford an MA degree in ancient and modern history in 1980. She worked as an archaeologist for the Museum of London, English Heritage and the Greater London Council from 1983 to 1987. She joined the Ministry of Defense in 1989 and for a period served as assistant private secretary to the Secretary of State for Defense. She left the MOD in 1995 and transferred to the Foreign Office and was at the UK delegation to NATO in Brussels 1996–99; deputy head of the Eastern Adriatic Department at the FCO 1999–2001; at the embassy in Washington DC, 2001–05; on secondment to the Cabinet Office as Head of Foreign and Development Policy 2006–07; head of the Conflict Group at the FCO 2007–11

Blake was appointed a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG) in the 2018 New Year Honors “for services to British foreign and security policy.”

In March 2022 the FCO announced that Blake will succeed Nigel Phillips Nigel Phillips as governor of the Falkland Islands and Commissioner for South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands in July 2022.She will be the first female governor of the Falklands.

 

It was a pleasure to welcome Alison Blake CMG, Governor-Designate of the Falkland Islands, to Falkland House today. #Falklands @AlisonBlakeFCDO | @GHFalklands | @FCDOGovUK | @amandamilling | @FalklandsGov pic.twitter.com/ITU0CyxpUE

— FIG Representative to the UK and Europe (@FalklandsRepUK) April 25, 2022