Christopher Mallaby


Sir Christopher Leslie George Mallaby is a British diplomat.

Early life and career

The son of Brigadier A. W. S. Mallaby CIE OBE and Margaret Catherine Mallaby, he was educated at Eton College and studied Modern Languages and History at Kings College, Cambridge. In 1971 he studied at Harvard Business School. After leaving university he entered Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service in 1959.
He was British Ambassador to Germany 1988-1992, British Ambassador to France 1993-1996 and Managing Director of UBS Investment Bank.
He was Chairman of Somerset House Trust from 2002–2006, and Trustee of the Tate Gallery Group 1996-2002. He is also as of 2011 a Trustee Director and Deputy-Chairman of Reuters., and since 2001 has been the Chairman of EORTC.
He was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1982, Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1986, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1996 and Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order in 1992.
In an interview in 2009, when asked how bad the relationship between the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Margaret Thatcher and Chancellor of Germany Helmut Kohl was, he replied saying "Very bad. It was about personal chemistry. They didn't naturally enjoy each other's company. Mrs Thatcher had easier relationships with Reagan or Gorbachev"
Christopher Mallaby initiated the Entente Cordiale Scholarship scheme, a prestigious Franco-British scholarship programme.

Personal life

In 1961 he married Pascale Thierry-Mieg and by her has a son Sebastian Mallaby and three daughters. Lady Mallaby died on 11 February 2020.