Jonathan Knott

Former British ambassador to Hungary, Budapest

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4th August 2014 Budapest, Hungary

by Jonathan Knott

Former British ambassador to Hungary, Budapest

"Innovation is GREAT: Regional Automotive and Aerospace Workshop" – Exploring the business potential in Central and Eastern Europe

One of my main professional targets as the Business Champion of Emerging Europe is to help increase the flow of trade between the UK and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Our economists reckon that there’s a potential of 20 billion Euros of business to be done if we could just get Central and Eastern European businessmen […]

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4th June 2014 Budapest, Hungary

by Jonathan Knott

Former British ambassador to Hungary, Budapest

How ‘smart’ do you think the UK is?

Guest blog by Kriszti Kocsis, Senior Policy Officer (Energy, Climate and Environment) at the British Embassy.    Much more than most know. So I was glad to be able to publicise the UK’s smart credentials recently. But what are the smart grid and smart cities?   Smart grids are the electricity transmission network enabled by digital technology for […]

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3rd June 2014 Budapest, Hungary

by Jonathan Knott

Former British ambassador to Hungary, Budapest

Out of Office

We had our annual Away Day last week.  It’s a day for staying out of your office and meeting with the whole Embassy team to chat about how to improve what we do (and how we do it) in the following year.  And then to have some fun relaxing together. This year we had  really […]

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23rd May 2014 Budapest, Hungary

by Jonathan Knott

Former British ambassador to Hungary, Budapest

Elections again – this time it is about Europe

Guest blog by Zsolt Maróti, Senior Domestic Policy Officer at the British Embassy in Budapest.   The first EP elections were held in 1979 with the participation of nine member states. This time between 22 and 25 May some 400 million Europeans from 28 countries are eligible to cast their votes and elect a new […]

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29th April 2014 Budapest, Hungary

by Jonathan Knott

Former British ambassador to Hungary, Budapest

The Last Train to Budapest: a movie about Britain and Hungary in 1956

Guest blog by Richard Pekár, author of the book The Last Train to Budapest, relating the story of his father, who took part in the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, escaping to the UK in 1957. In order for the book to be turned into a movie, the filmmakers are now looking for sponsors, whose contributions would […]

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24th April 2014 Budapest, Hungary

by Jonathan Knott

Former British ambassador to Hungary, Budapest

"All the world’s a stage…"

Guest blog by Simon Ingram-Hill, Director of the British Council in Hungary.   Yesterday we celebrated St George’s day in the UK. To celebrate, I was invited to a small Byzantine church surrounded by olive groves by my Greek friend Georgios – and afterwards to eat sweets and almonds. On April 23rd we celebrate St […]

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11th April 2014 Budapest, Hungary

by Jonathan Knott

Former British ambassador to Hungary, Budapest

Hungary goes to the polls

The Hungarian elections have dominated our work-life over the last days and weeks.  Before the elections we were visiting the parties and their candidates, talking about their plans and strategies.  I went to a series of pre-election rallies round the country to feel the flavour of the campaign.  Rallies organised by a range of parties, […]

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7th April 2014 Budapest, Hungary

by Jonathan Knott

Former British ambassador to Hungary, Budapest

Gadgets, Drones, Opportunities

Guest blog by Dr. Péter Stauber, Hungarian Ministry of Interior’s Head of EU Cooperation Department, on his visit to the Security and Policing Conference in Farnborough, at the end of March 2014.   It was an idea from the British Embassy, which generated support among the leadership of my organization, namely the Ministry of Interior […]

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2nd April 2014 Budapest, Hungary

by Jonathan Knott

Former British ambassador to Hungary, Budapest

Partners Tournament at Vác FC featuring GB United

Guest Blog by John P. Marshall, Chairman of Vác FC – Founder at Aspire Group   Last Saturday, 29th March 2014, we witnessed GB United take to the field for a second time. Although on this occasion, taking part in an 8-team amateur tournament, held at Vác FC stadium for the inauguration of our brand […]

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1st April 2014 Budapest, Hungary

by Jonathan Knott

Former British ambassador to Hungary, Budapest

IV. Human Rights Movie Day

Guest blog by Marcell Lőrincz, Chairman of Subjective Values Foundation (Szubjektív Értékek Alapítvány) Every March since 2011 the British Embassy has been organizing a very important event called the “Human Rights Movie Day”. This time our NGO, the Subjective Values Foundation, was asked to help in the implementation – so we did our best. As we […]

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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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