Karen Pierce Foreign and Commonwealth Office (CC BY 2.0)
LSE graduate Karen Pierce has been appointed as the new UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), the first woman to hold what is considered to be the most prestigious post in the British diplomatic service.
Karen Pierce graduated with Distinction in LSE IDEAS’ Executive MSc International Strategy and Diplomacy 2012, and has continued her relationship with the School by giving guest lectures on the UN to current students.
She is currently Director-General Political at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, having previously served as Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, and as the Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva. Karen Pierce will take up her new role in January 2018.
Commenting on her appointment, Karen Pierce said: “I am honoured to be appointed as the UK’s Ambassador and to head the UK cross-government effort at the UN. Through our role as a permanent member of the Security Council and position as the UN’s third largest donor, the UK will continue to work with others to tackle the pressing security, stability, development and prosperity challenges of today”.
Professor Michael Cox, Director of LSE IDEAS, said: "As Academic Director of the Masters course on which she studied here in LSE IDEAS, I am absolutely thrilled with Karen Pierce's appointment to the UN".