Jon Benjamin has been the Director of the Diplomatic Academy since July 2017. From 2014 to 2017 he was the British High Commissioner in Ghana, and non-resident Ambassador to Togo, Benin, and Burkina Faso.

He was born on 19 January 1963 and bred in Farnham Common, Buckinghamshire. He attended the Slough Grammar School and the University of Surrey.

Jon joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1986. He has previously served as Ambassador in Chile (2009 to 2014), Acting Consul General in New York (2005 to 2008), Washington (2005), and served in Ankara (1996 to 1999) and Jakarta (1988 to 1991). He has also held several positions in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office:

Head of Human Rights Policy Department (2002 to 2005)

Deputy Head of Drugs and International Crime Department (2000 to 2002)

Head of Zimbabwe Emergency Unit (2000)

Chief of Staff to FCO Minister responsible for EU and Latin America (1993 to 1995)

Head of Section for Central Asia and Caucasus (1992 to 1993)

Desk Officer for Burma and Laos (1986 to 1987)

Jon has a degree in Languages (German and Swedish) and International Relations, and a strong background in human rights.

He is responsible for the creation and delivery of an Academy which ensures those in the FCO and others working internationally for the government have the diplomatic and linguistic skills and knowledge they need to deliver Britain’s foreign policy.

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