AMBASSADOR… David Concar.
NAME: David Concar
AGE: 54
HOME: Born in Stafford, now live in Brighton
OCCUPATION: UK Ambassador to Somalia
FAMILY: Wife Caroline North, children Oscar, Martha and Theo
WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Stafford
WHAT WAS YOUR CHILDHOOD LIKE? It was very happy. I went to King Edward VI School and had good friends. My parents live in Little Haywood so I often travel back to the area.
WHAT DID YOU WANT TO DO AFTER SCHOOL? I studied science at university and thought I would go on to be a scientific researcher.
HOW DID YOU CAREER AND LIFE PROGRESS? I did a PhD and then worked in science journalism. I worked for international science journal Nature and then took a job at New Scientist, where I was happy for a number of years. I began to feel I wanted a change so took up a position at the Foreign Office in 2004. I feel incredibly lucky, there is never a dull moment. I have had the chance to meet so many different people. It is always stimulating and I have done many different jobs within the Foreign Office, including leading the Foreign Office’s policy work on a number of major international institutions. I was also posted to China and lived there with my family.The world is full of changes and pressures and we aim to work to solve some of the problems. A lot of issues affect people in the UK, such as irregular migration. Working for the Foreign Office offers a sense of duty and service to the country.
YOUR NEXT POSTING IS UK AMBASSADOR TO SOMALIA. WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE? I am looking forward to the challenge of this job. The country itself has been in a state of conflict for a quarter of a century. It has problems we need to address and I am looking forward to leading Britain’s effort. There is a new a government in the capital city Mogadishu, which is a step forward and people want peace and stability. There is potential to make a difference but there are big challenges and it is not going to be easy. The presence of an Islamic Jihad group makes life difficult. My first job will be to meet my team and listen to them, and then to meet as many key people as I can, including international diplomats, aid workers and representatives of Somalia.
ARE YOU APPREHENSIVE ABOUT LIVING IN SOMALIA? My priority is to keep staff safe. I will live in the embassy compound, which is very secure. My family will stay in the UK as it is not really safe for them. I will do a six-two pattern so will spend six weeks in Somalia, go home for two weeks, then Somalia for six weeks, and so on.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? My children.
ANY REGRETS? Not moving into my current career at an earlier stage. I could have done more postings. When I look at the list of countries where the UK has embassies I always have a sense of regret that I will not be able to spend time in all of them.
FUTURE AMBITIONS? To do a posting that would bring close contact with the UN.
FAVOURITES
CAR: 1960s sports cars
MUSIC: David Bowie, REM, Rolling Stones
HOBBIES: Playing guitar
PAPER: The Times, Guardian, Telegraph
HOLIDAY DESTINATION: Burma
FOOD/DRINK: My wife’s banana cake/traditional brewed ale
BOOK: The Road to Oxiana by Robert Byron
LOVE/HATE: People who help community/ unexplained travel delays
Source: Staffodshire Newsletter
