Benjamin James Fender

Benjamin James Fender (Date of birth May 1973) is Director, Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate in the FCDO. It is not clear when he was appointed to the position having left the post as Ambassador to Somalia in February 2021.

This role oversees UK policy – and the UK contribution to broader western policies - towards the following countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. It also contains the HMG Russia Unit which appears to be mainly staffed by intelligence officers. It sits in the Defence and Intelligence Directorate General alongside the Information Threats and Influence Directorate, which also has apparent intelligence links.

EECAD supports cross-government policy-making and delivery and oversees the network of UK embassies and consulates in these countries.

Eender has extensive experience representing the UK in the Middle East, with previous postings as the Chargé, and Deputy Head of Mission in Tehran from 2015 to 2016. Prior to this he was the FCDO Deputy Head, Iran Department in 2015 and Deputy Head, UK Ebola Response to Freetown (2014 to 2015). He was also the Political Counsellor in Kabul for 2 years from 2012 to 2014.

Appointments

Full name:

• February 2019 to February 2021 Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Somalia
• 2016 to 2019 FCO, Head, Security Policy Department
• 2015 to 2016 Tehran, Chargé then Deputy Head of Mission
• 2015 FCO, Deputy Head, Iran Department
• 2014 to 2015 Freetown, Deputy Head, UK Ebola Response
• 2012 to 2014 Kabul, Counsellor (Political)
• 2008 to 2011 Paris, First Secretary (Political/Military)
• 2007 to 2008 Seconded to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• 2003 to 2007 FCO, Head, Iran team
• 1999 to 2003 Beijing, Second then First Secretary (Political)
• 1997 to 1999 FCO, Language training (Chinese)
• 1996 to 1997 FCO, Desk Officer for Palestine, Arab/Israel team