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Sir David Wright GCMG LVO

Board & Senior Management

Sir David Wright, the UK’s former ambassador to both the Republic of Korea and Japan is a Senior Advisor at Skarbek Associates, having previously held the role of Chairman between December 2017 – March 2023.

Sir David has been Senior Advisor to Barclays, having previously been Vice-Chairman. He has also been a member of Barclays’ Asia Pacific Executive Committee. During his distinguished career he was Private Secretary to HRH The Prince of Wales and the first CEO of British Trade International.

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Strengths and Career Achievements

Sir David joined the Foreign Office in 1966 and was posted as Third Secretary, later Second Secretary, to Tokyo. He returned to the FCO in 1972 and was promoted in London to First Secretary before attending the École nationale d’administration in Paris in 1975. From 1976 to 1980 he was posted as First Secretary to the Paris Embassy. He was seconded to be Private Secretary to the Secretary of the Cabinet (1980–1982). From 1982-1985 he was Economic Counsellor in Tokyo.

Returning again to the FCO, he was Head of the Personnel Services Department from 1985 to 1988. From there he was seconded to be Deputy Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales (1988–1990). Sir David was appointed Ambassador to South Korea in 1990 and four years later returned to London as Deputy Under Secretary of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. From 1996 to 1999 he was appointed Ambassador to Japan, a post which he left to become Chief Executive of British Trade International, which promotes British exports and inward investment.

After retiring from HM Diplomatic Service, Sir David Wright joined Barclays Capital, the investment banking arm of the Barclays group, as Vice Chairman where he was responsible for banking client relations in Asia-Pacific and Barclays links with UK government and other public entities. He was also Vice-President of the China-Britain Business Council and a Governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company. He is Chairman of the Japan Market Advisory Group of The City UK.

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Senior Advisor, Sir David was previously the UK's Ambassador to Japan and was Vice Chair of Barclays Capital.

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I just want to say a simple THANK YOU for the great PM work which you have demonstrated in …high regards to your technical and professional competency which you bring to the table…Specifically more on your project communications, issue escalation, conflict resolution & project tracking has been of very high quality… PM team have also gained a lot from your experience. Well done and Thank you.
Global innovation portfolio director
FTSE 100 CPG