Jonathan Knott

Former British ambassador to Hungary, Budapest

Part of UK in Hungary

10th June 2012 Budapest, Hungary

Hot in the city

I’ve completed a 7 km run in the heat of a sunny, summer Budapest today. I’m exhausted. I did it as part of an Embassy team: six of us running in relay and so completing a marathon between us. Our aim was to help the Robert Burns International Foundation (RBIF) raise money to buy a special minibus for the Hungarian Junior Paralympic team. To date we’ve raised half the amount. And I hope the marathon will have got us most of the rest of the way. I would like to thank all of those who registered as charity entries for the race and supported the Hungarian Junior Paralympic Squad.

The cause was important. But it was also a lot of fun (in retrospect anyway) to run round the streets of Budapest and along the Danube as the crowds cheered us on.  Really hot, though. And the distance between the 5 and 6 km mark seemed to be really long. Luckily I caught up with a friend  with just over a km to go and we finished together. How do marathon runners do that 6 times over?

There was a really nice atmosphere. After the run (and some time for recovery) I was able to chat with some of the paralympic team about their plans. What they do is inspirational. And the team around them so dedicated. Please take a look at the RBIF website to see what we’re trying to help them with. And please think about a modest contribution.
Meanwhile, here are some pictures of the day. They give a good feel for the event and the fun we had.

About Jonathan Knott

Jonathan Knott was appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Hungary in March 2011 and arrived in Budapest in February 2012 to take up his post. He left this post on April…

Jonathan Knott was appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to
Hungary in March 2011 and arrived in Budapest in February 2012 to take
up his post. He left this post on April 2015.
He has previously held a variety of diplomatic posts at home and
abroad, several with a particular focus on commercial and corporate
finance issues. Jonathan has served in a number of positions in the
British Diplomatic Service since joining in 1988:
Before his appointment was Deputy Head of Mission and Director for Trade and Investment in South Korea from 2008 to 2011.Between 2005 and 2008 he held the post of Deputy Finance Director in the FCO.From 2000 to 2005 he served as First Secretary (Trade, Corporate Affairs and Finance Negotiator) in UKDel OECD Paris.From 1996 to 2000 he was First Secretary (Head of Political/Economic/Aid Section) in Mexico.From 1995 to 1996 he worked in the FCO as Deputy European Correspondent at the EU Directorate.Between 1991 and 1995 he served as Third later Second Secretary (Political / Press and Public Affairs) in Havana.From 1990 to 1991 he was Desk Officer in the FCO’s First Gulf War Emergency Unit.Between 1988 and 1990 he worked as Desk Officer in the FCO in the Anti Drugs Cooperation Department.
Jonathan holds an MA in law from Oxford University, and he is a
member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. He speaks
English, French, Spanish and Hungarian. He is married to Angela Susan
Knott and has one daughter and two sons.

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