John Holmes (British diplomat)

Sir John Holmes, GCVO, KBE, CMG, (* April 1951 in Preston, England ) is a British diplomat and was from 2007 to 2010 Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs of the United Nations and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator.

Holmes worked from 1973 three years for the British Foreign Office, and meanwhile also temporarily seconded to the British Mission to the United Nations in New York. From 1976 he worked at the British Embassy in Moscow. From 1978, he again worked for the British Foreign Office in the departments of the Middle East and North Africa.

From 1984 to 1987 he worked at the British Embassy in Paris. From 1987 to 1991 he worked again in London. Subsequently he worked until 1995 as Economic and Commercial Advisor in New Delhi ( India). In 1995 he again worked in London as head of the department "European Union" the Foreign Ministry. From 1999 to 2001 he was ambassador to Portugal, then to 2006, Ambassador to France.

In January 2007 he was appointed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki -moon to the Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs of the United Nations and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator.