Simon Fraser - Permanent Under Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Before returning to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Simon Fraser had been Permanent Secretary of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in London since June 2009.

Prior to this he was Director General for Europe and Globalisation in the FCO.

From 2004 to February 2008, Simon was Chief of Staff to European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson.  He was closely involved in negotiation of the Doha Round and in formulating the EU’s external competitiveness policies.  Simon also previously worked as Deputy Chief of Staff to Leon Brittan when he was Trade Commissioner.

In the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Simon has previously served as Director for Strategy and Innovation, including policy planning, and as Political Counsellor in the British Embassy in Paris. He started his career as a Middle East expert, serving in the British Embassies in Baghdad and Damascus, and as Private Secretary to Minister of State William Waldegrave.