Latest Press Release from UK Embassy Madrid -The new British Ambassador, Sir Alex Ellis, arrives in Spain



Madrid, Monday 9 September 2024. Sir Alex Ellis has arrived in Madrid, where he takes over from Hugh Elliott in the service of His Majesty King Charles III as the British Ambassador to Spain and Non-Resident Ambassador to Andorra.  

Alex Ellis will present his credentials to His Majesty King Felipe VI in a ceremony that will take place in the coming weeks.  

“I am honoured to represent His Majesty Charles III and my country as Ambassador to Spain and Andorra,” said Ellis.

“Our countries enjoy a close and enduring relationship across so many areas: between our citizens, our cultures, our armed forces and across the world of academia, science and commerce. I am looking forward to supporting this relationship to become even stronger.”

This will be Ellis’ second posting to Spain, a country he already knows well from his role in the British Embassy in Madrid in the early 2000s. Since then, he has served as Ambassador to Portugal and Brazil and most recently, as the High Commissioner to India. He has held a range of roles across the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Cabinet Office and the Department for Exiting the European Union, in addition to being an Advisor to the President of the European Commission.

His X account is @AlexWEllis.

CURRICULUM VITAE  

Name: Alexander Wykeham Ellis 

Married to: Teresa Adegas 

Children: One son, Tomás, on the autistic spectrum  

2021-2024 High Commissioner to India (equivalent to Ambassador) 

2020 Deputy National Security Adviser, Cabinet Office

2017-2019 Director General, Department for Exiting the European Union

2013-2017 Ambassador to Brazil

2011-2013 Director of Strategy, Foreign and Commonwealth Office   

2007- 2010 Ambassador to Portugal

2005-2007 Adviser to the President of the European Commission  

2003-2005 Counsellor EU and Global Issues in the British Embassy in Madrid

1996-2003 Various roles in UKREP Brussels and Foreign and Commonwealth Office including: member of negotiation teams for the euro, 7-year budget, institutional reform and enlargement of the EU

1992-1996 Third later Second Secretary, EU/Economic in the British Embassy in Lisbon

1990-1992 South Africa Team, then desk officer for Zambia and Malawi     

Additional Information: 

• The United Kingdom and Spain’s diplomatic relations date back more than 500 years.

• According to the INE, 412,000 Britons were registered as residents in Spain as of December 31, 2022.  Meanwhile, there are approximately 389,000 Spaniards living in the UK, according to EU Settlement Scheme data.

• According to the INE, 17.3 million tourists visited Spain from the United Kingdom in 2023, which represents 20% of all international travellers. British visitors spent almost 20 billion euros, which represents 1.4% of Spanish GDP.
• The United Kingdom is the second most visited country by Spanish tourists, after France.

• There are more flights between Spain and the United Kingdom than between any other two countries in the world.

• The United Kingdom and Spain are close trading partners. Trade between the two countries reached 65 billion euros this year. Bilateral trade in services has risen almost 30 percent in the last five years.

• The United Kingdom is the third largest investor in Spain and the second top destination for Spanish investment.

• There are around 400 Spanish companies registered in the United Kingdom, and around 700 British companies investing in Spain.  

• The United Kingdom and Spain have been NATO allies since 1982, and defence collaboration between them helps make the world a safer place for everyone.

• The United Kingdom and Spain’s armed forces work together in operations such as Iraq, air surveillance on NATO's eastern flank, in the naval groups of the Atlantic Alliance or in its Quick Reaction Forces.

Bit odd his wife and children is part of the CV they posted ha

Thanks, Spainrico. Must have taken you a while to type.
Didn't know Hugh Elliot was moving. Funnily enough, I'd just written to him a few days ago.
What a CV from the incumbent.
Puts mine in the shade somewhat!

How nice a new Sir Shyster who will spend the time looking after his own interest (as they all do)
May talk at some time (in the future) talking to some peasants about their issues but do not hold your breath.

Thanks Retired in Euskadi, but came in an email to me which I cut and pasted into the forum, so fingers are not worn down.

Plorntus - part of a new caring and sharing policy I guess re his wife's information.

Bit harsh I think VFR, I always get the impression they work hard to resolve Expat issues but I don't have any personal experience.