Linda Joy Duffield (born 18 April 1953) is a British former diplomat who was chief executive of the

Westminster Foundation for Democracy The Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) is a United Kingdom non-departmental public body set up to support democratic institutions overseas. It was established on 26 February 1992 and registered as a company limited by guarantee in the U ...

2009–14.

Career

Duffield was educated at St. Mary's Grammar School for Girls in

Northwood Hills Northwood is an area in the London Borough of Hillingdon, North West London, located northwest of Charing Cross. Northwood was part of the ancient parish of Ruislip, Middlesex. The area was situated on the historic Middlesex boundary with Hert ...

, now merged into

Haydon School Haydon School is a Mixed-sex education, mixed secondary school and sixth form in the Northwood Hills area of the London Borough of Hillingdon, Greater London, for students aged 11 to 18. On 1 April 2011, Haydon School became an Academy (English ...

, and

Exeter University The University of Exeter is a research university in the West Country of England, with its main campus in Exeter, Devon. Its predecessor institutions, St Luke's College, Exeter School of Science, Exeter School of Art, and the Camborne School o ...

where she graduated in 1975. She worked in the

DHSS The Department of Health and Social Security (commonly known as the DHSS) was a ministry of the British government in existence for twenty years from 1968 until 1988, and was headed by the Secretary of State for Social Services. History In 1 ...

1976–85, then studied at the

École nationale d'administration The (; ENA; ) was a French ''grande école'', created in 1945 by the then Provisional Government of the French Republic, provisional chief of government Charles de Gaulle and principal co-author of the Constitution of France, 1958 Constitution M ...

in Paris 1985–86 and joined the

Foreign and Commonwealth Office The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is the ministry of foreign affairs and a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, ministerial department of the government of the United Kingdom. The office was created on 2 ...

(FCO) in 1987. She was posted to Moscow 1989–92, and was deputy High Commissioner at

Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

1995–99. She was High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, and concurrently High Commissioner to the Maldives, 1999–2002. She returned to the FCO as director of the Wider Europe department 2002–04, then served as ambassador to the Czech Republic 2004–09. She was appointed chief executive of the

(a body sponsored by the FCO) 2009–14. Duffield was appointed CMG in the

2002 New Year Honours New Years' Honours are announced on or around the date of the New Year in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The dates vary, both from year to year and from country to country. All are published in supplements to the London G ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Duffield, Linda 1953 births Living people People educated at Haydon School Alumni of the University of Exeter Civil servants in the Department of Health and Social Security École nationale d'administration alumni High commissioners of the United Kingdom to Sri Lanka High commissioners of the United Kingdom to the Maldives Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to the Czech Republic Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George British women ambassadors