Consular Conversations: Luncheon Interview With Atlanta’s New British Consul General

In the 20th event in Global Atlanta’s Consular Conversations Series, the editorial team will be interviewing the newly arrived Consul General of the United Kingdom in Atlanta, Mr. Andrew Staunton.

Topics of discussion:

• Mr. Staunton’s diplomatic career
• Objectives for his tenure
• Brexit update and Mr. Staunton’s view on European unity
• British investment in Georgia and the South
• Trade issues and the effect of protectionism on UK-US ties
• Fintech collaboration with Atlanta — P20, etc.

The format:

• Catered light lunch with soft drinks
• One-on-one conversation with the Global Atlanta editorial team, followed by an audience Q&A
• Discussion covered by Global Atlanta and published in a later article

About our speaker:

Andrew Staunton took up his appointment in Atlanta as Her Majesty’s Consul General in June 2018.

Andrew is the senior UK government representative in the Southeast United States responsible for relations with the states of Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi and Alabama.

He leads a team which works to promote UK-US trade and investment, support British nationals, conduct public diplomacy on key issues, and build scientific and research co-operation. He also sits on the Marshall
Scholarship selection committee.

Before taking up his posting in Atlanta, Andrew served four years as Deputy Head of Mission and Economic Counselor at the British Embassy in Athens. He was also Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Dublin from 2009 to 2013. Throughout both of these postings, Andrew’s main focus was on the economic crises in Greece and Ireland, boosting bilateral relations, promoting the UK’s interests, and working on a range of issues linked to the European Union.

Prior to this, Andrew worked in the Foreign Office as Deputy Director responsible for Security. Andrew joined the UK’s diplomatic service in 1987. He has also served overseas in China, France, Romania and Canada. Andrew was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He is accompanied in Atlanta by his wife, Rebecca. They have two adult children, both living in the UK.