Simon Gerard McDonald, Baron McDonald of Salford, GCMG, KCVO is a British diplomat and academic. He served as Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Head of the Diplomatic Service from 2015 to 2020, marking the culmination of a notable diplomatic career. Educated at De La Salle College in Salford and Pembroke College, Cambridge, McDonald joined the FCO in 1982. His early postings included assignments in Jeddah, Riyadh, Bonn, and Washington, D.C., reflecting a breadth of experience in international diplomacy. He later served as Principal Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary (2001–2003), Director for Iraq at the FCO (2006–2007), and Foreign Policy Adviser to the Prime Minister and Head of the Overseas and Defence Secretariat at the Cabinet Office (2007–2010). In 2010, he was appointed British Ambassador to Germany, a position he held until 2015. As Permanent Under-Secretary, McDonald led the FCO during a period of significant geopolitical changes, including the UK’s decision to leave the
European Union. His tenure was characterised by efforts to adapt the UK’s diplomatic strategies to evolving global dynamics. In 2020, he retired following the merger of the FCO with the Department for International Development, forming the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. In recognition of his services, McDonald was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) and Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO). In 2021, he was ennobled as a life peer, taking the title Baron McDonald of Salford, and currently sits in the House of Lords as a crossbencher. Since September 2022, Lord McDonald has served as the Master of Christ’s College, Cambridge, contributing his extensive experience in governance and international relations to the academic community.