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Paul Madden

British Ambassador to Japan

Part of UK in Australia

1st September 2014

The 37th Governor and the 1st Governor

HE Dame Marie Bashir, New South Wales’ 37th Governor, reflected warmly on her first predecessor, Admiral Arthur Philip, when she hosted a glittering reception at Government House in Sydney on the 200th anniversary of his death on 31 August. She spoke of the debt that modern Australia owes its founding father. She also commended his personal qualities: his drive and intelligence, his care for his convict charges, and his genuine efforts to establish good relations with the Aboriginal inhabitants he encountered.

HE Dame Marie Bashir and HE Paul Madden
HE Dame Marie Bashir and HE Paul Madden

The event followed a beautiful service at St James’ King Street, Sydney’s oldest standing church. We heard lessons read by Chief Justice Tom Bathurst, and by a representative of the Royal Australian Navy. Then Justice Michael Pembroke, author of an acclaimed new biography of Philip gave some personal reflections on Philip’s life and achievements, concluding that “He was not just the founder of modern Australia, he set the tone for the generous, liberal and fair minded society that we have become.”

The Governor unveiled a new plaque commemorating Arthur Philip in the church. This mirrored a similar event at Westminster Abbey in July, which she and I had both attended. The commemorations continue, with a major symposium on Philip at the Sydney Museum on Friday 5 September.

About Paul Madden

Paul Madden has been the British Ambassador to Japan from January 2017. He was Additional Director for Asia Pacific at the FCO in 2015.He was British High Commissioner to Australia…

Paul Madden has been the British Ambassador to Japan from January 2017.

He was Additional Director for Asia Pacific at the FCO in 2015.He was British High Commissioner to Australia until February 2015. Prior to this he was British High Commissioner in Singapore from 2007-2011.

A career diplomat, he was previously Managing Director at UK Trade and Investment (2004-2006), responsible for co-ordinating and
implementing international trade development strategies to support
companies across a wide range of business sectors.

As Assistant Director of Information at the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office (2003-2004) he was responsible for public diplomacy policy,
including managing the FCO funding of the BBC World Service, the British
Council and the Chevening Scholarships programme. He led the team
responsible for the award-winning UK pavilion at the Aichi Expo in Japan
2005.

He was Deputy High Commissioner in Singapore from 2000-2003 and has
also served in Washington (1996-2000) and Tokyo (1988-92). Between
1992-96 he worked on EU enlargement and Environmental issues at the FCO
in London.

Before joining FCO he worked at the Department of Trade and Industry
(1980-87) on a range of industrial sectors and trade policy, including
two years as a minister’s Private Secretary.

He has an MA in Economic Geography from Cambridge University, an MBA
from Durham University, studied Japanese at London University’s School
of Oriental and African Studies, and is a Fellow of the Royal
Geographical Society. His first book, Raffles: Lessons in Business
Leadership, was published in 2003.

Married to Sarah, with three children, he was born in 1959, in Devon.

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