KUALA LUMPUR: British High Commissioner to Malaysia Ailsa Terry (pic) is heading to the famed No.10, Downing Street in London to be private secretary (foreign affairs) to the Prime Minister.
She will take charge of advising the recently elected Sir Keir Starmer on foreign policy issues and working closely with the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
This is the first time that a British High Commissioner here has been picked for such a post, the High Commission said in a statement yesterday.
Terry, who was posted here last August, will officially take on her new role early next month.
Starmer’s Labour Party swept to power in a landslide general election victory on July 4, ousting the Conservative Party that suffered a dramatic collapse after a tumultuous 14 years at the helm.
Terry described her latest appointment as a huge privilege.
“The Prime Minister has set out ambitious plans for the country. I am honoured to be given this opportunity to serve in the Prime Minister’s Office.
“Since I started as the British High Commissioner to Malaysia, my team here and I have accomplished so much in strengthening the UK-Malaysia partnership in the areas of trade, technology, education, climate, defence and security.
“I have visited many states and my family and I have made many friends around Malaysia. We will miss the people, sights and sound, smell and flavours of Malaysia,” she said.
Before her posting here, Terry was the director of the FCDO’s inaugural Sanctions Directorate which was set up as part of the United Kingdom’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
She was also previously posted to Islamabad and the UK Mission to the EU in Brussels.
The statement added that with effect from Aug 29, Deputy High Commissioner David Wallace will take over as Charge d’Affaires.
