PRESS RELEASE : A new British Ambassador, Sir Alex Ellis, arrives in Spain [September 2024]

Sir Alex Ellis arrived in Madrid today, where he takes over from Hugh Elliott in the service of His Majesty King Charles III as British Ambassador to Spain and Non-Resident Ambassador to Andorra.

Alex Ellis will present his credentials to His Majesty King Felipe VI in a ceremony that will take place in the coming weeks.

“I am honoured to represent His Majesty Charles III and my country as Ambassador to Spain and Andorra,” said Ellis.

“Our countries enjoy a close and enduring relationship across so many areas: between our citizens, our cultures, our armed forces and across the world of academia, science and commerce. I am looking forward to supporting this relationship to become even stronger.”

This will be Ellis’ second posting to Spain, a country he already knows well from his role in the British Embassy in Madrid in the early 2000s. Since then, he has served as Ambassador to Portugal and Brazil and most recently, as the High Commissioner to India. He has also held a range of different roles across the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Cabinet Office and the Department for Exiting the European Union, in addition to being an Advisor to the President of the European Commission.

His X account is @AlexWEllis.

Curriculum Vitae

Name: Alexander Wykeham Ellis

Married to: Teresa Adegas

Children: One son, Tomás, on the autistic spectrum

• 2021 to 2024 High Commissioner to India (equivalent to Ambassador)
• 2020 Deputy National Security Adviser, Cabinet Office
• 2017 to 2019 Director General, Department for Exiting the European Union
• 2013 to 2017 Ambassador to Brazil
• 2011 to 2013 Director of Strategy, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
• 2007 to 2010 Ambassador to Portugal
• 2005 to 2007 Adviser to the President of the European Commission
• 2003 to 2005 Counsellor EU and Global Issues in the British Embassy in Madrid
• 1996 to 2003 Various roles in UKREP Brussels and FCO including: member of negotiation teams for the euro, 7-year budget, institutional reform and enlargement of the EU
• 1992 to 1996 Third later Second Secretary, EU/Economic in the British Embassy in Lisbon
• 1990 to 1992 South Africa Team, then desk officer for Zambia and Malawi