Dame Melinda Simmons DCMG was appointed as British Ambassador to Poland in September 2025.
She is a seasoned British diplomat and public servant with extensive experience in international development, conflict resolution, and national security.
She served as His Majesty’s Ambassador to Ukraine from 2019 to 2023, navigating complex geopolitical challenges during a critical period in the region. Prior to that, she held senior roles at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the Department for International Development (DFID), including Deputy Director of the Conflict Department and Head of DFID Southern Africa in Pretoria.
Her career spans key leadership positions in humanitarian response, European affairs, and Middle East and North Africa policy. In 2023 to 2024, she was appointed Honorary Professor at University College London, and she has undertaken full-time language training in both Ukrainian and Polish to support her diplomatic missions.
