Laura Clarke

Last updated

Laura Clarke
OBE
Laura Clarke 2018 (cropped).jpg
Clarke in 2018
Governor of Pitcairn
In office
25 January 2018 [1]  –7 July 2022

Laura Mary Clarke OBE (born 3 June 1978) is the CEO of ClientEarth [3] a global non-profit environmental law organisation. She is a former British diplomat, who served as the British High Commissioner to New Zealand, and the Governor of Pitcairn.

Biography

Clarke is the CEO of ClientEarth, having taken over from founding-CEO James Thornton.

Clarke took up her role as High Commissioner to New Zealand, and Governor of the Pitcairn Islands in January 2018. Her previous role was as the UK Government's India Co-ordinator and Head of the South Asia Department in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. While serving in these roles she was ranked as one of the most influential people in UK-India relations. [4] Other roles included Political Counsellor in Pretoria, South Africa, Chief of Staff to the Minister for Europe, and roles in the Ministry of Justice, British Parliament and European Commission. [5]

Clarke served as non-Resident British High Commissioner to Samoa from March 2018 to December 2019, when the British Government established a Resident High Commission in Samoa. [6]

In her role as High Commissioner to New Zealand, Clarke placed an emphasis on strengthening relations with Māori of New Zealand. [7] In November 2018 the British High Commission employed its first Maori adviser and also a language teacher for Clarke. [8] In October 2019 Clarke expressed regret, on behalf of the British Government, for the killing of 9 Māori during the first encounters with the crew of James Cook’s Endeavour. [9] [10]

In July 2020, Clarke launched UK-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement Negotiations alongside PM Jacinda Ardern and NZ Trade Minister David Parker. [11]

Clarke hosted the British High Commission podcast, ‘Tea with the High Commission’, with guests including Jacinda Ardern, [12] actor Sam Neill [13] and comedian Eddie Izzard. [14]

As Governor of Pitcairn, Clarke had oversight of governance and economic support for the Pitcairn Islands. She and her husband made a film of her first visit. [15]

Clarke is married to Toby Fisher, a New Zealander, and they have three children. [16]

She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2021 New Year Honours for services to British foreign policy. [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Waikato</span> Public university in Hamilton, New Zealand

The University of Waikato, established in 1964, is a public research university located in Hamilton, New Zealand. An additional campus is located in Tauranga. The university performs research in numerous disciplines such as education, social sciences, and management and is an innovator in environmental science, marine and freshwater ecology, engineering and computer science. It offers degrees in health, engineering, computer science, management, Māori and Indigenous Studies, the arts, psychology, social sciences and education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waitangi Day</span> National day of New Zealand

Waitangi Day, the national day of New Zealand, marks the anniversary of the initial signing—on 6 February 1840—of the Treaty of Waitangi. The Treaty of Waitangi was an agreement towards British sovereignty by representatives of the Crown and indigenous Māori chiefs, and so is regarded by many as the founding document of the nation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Realm of New Zealand</span> Entire area (or realm) in which the King of New Zealand is head of state

The Realm of New Zealand is the area over which the monarch of New Zealand is head of state. The realm is not a federation but is a collection of states and territories united under its monarch. New Zealand is an independent and sovereign state that has one territorial claim in Antarctica, one dependent territory (Tokelau), and two associated states. The Realm of New Zealand encompasses the three autonomous jurisdictions of New Zealand, the Cook Islands, and Niue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Fergusson (diplomat)</span> British diplomat

George Duncan Raukawa Fergusson is a British diplomat. He was the British High Commissioner to New Zealand and Samoa, and the Governor of the Pitcairn Islands, from 2006 to 2010. He was the Governor of Bermuda from 2012 to 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Zealand–United Kingdom relations</span> Bilateral relations

New Zealand–United Kingdom relations are the bilateral relations between New Zealand and the United Kingdom. New Zealand has maintained a close relationship with Britain, since gaining independence from the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacinda Ardern</span> Prime Minister of New Zealand from 2017 to 2023

Dame Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern is a New Zealand politician who served as the 40th Prime Minister of New Zealand and leader of the Labour Party from 2017 to 2023. She was a member of Parliament (MP) as a list MP from 2008 to 2017 and for Mount Albert from 2017 to 2023.

David Ross Ardern is a New Zealand diplomat and former police officer. He was the Administrator of Tokelau from 2018 to 2022, having previously served as the High Commissioner of New Zealand to Niue from 2014 to 2018, and as Niue's police commissioner from 2005 to 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cindy Kiro</span> Governor-General of New Zealand since 2021

Dame Alcyion Cynthia Kiro is a New Zealand public-health academic, administrator, and advocate, who has been serving as the 22nd governor-general of New Zealand since 21 October 2021. Kiro is the first Māori woman and the third person of Māori descent to hold the office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Administrator of the Pitcairn Islands</span>

The Administrator of the Pitcairn Islands is the de facto Chair of the Island Council. The officeholder represents the interests of the Governor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Zealand–Samoa relations</span> Bilateral relations

New Zealand and Samoa have had close relations based on a treaty of friendship between the two countries since Samoa became independent in 1962. New Zealand administered Samoa under a League of Nations mandate then a United Nations trusteeship from 1920 to 1961. Both nations are members of the Commonwealth of Nations and the Pacific Islands Forum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clarke Gayford</span> First partner of New Zealand (2017–2023)

Clarke Timothy Gayford is a New Zealand radio and television broadcaster, presenter of the fishing documentary show Fish of the Day. He is the husband of Jacinda Ardern, who was prime minister of New Zealand from October 2017 to January 2023.

Events in Oceania, during 2019.

The following lists events that happened during 2020 in Oceania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Zealand–Tonga relations</span> Bilateral relations

New Zealand–Tonga relations refers to the diplomatic relations between New Zealand and the Kingdom of Tonga. Both nations are members of the Commonwealth of Nations, Pacific Islands Forum and the United Nations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Germany–New Zealand relations</span> Bilateral relations

The importance of the relations between Germany and New Zealand centers on the history of German migration to New Zealand. Approximately 200,000 New Zealanders are of German descent, and many German tourists visit New Zealand each year. Both nations are members of the Australia Group, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the United Nations.

List of events that happened during 2021 in Oceania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iona Thomas</span> British diplomat

Iona Thomas, is a British diplomat who serves as the British High Commissioner to New Zealand and the Governor of Pitcairn.

References

  1. ↑ "Pitcairn Islands Government 2019". theodora.com. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  2. ↑ Laura Clarke - LinkedIn
  3. ↑ "ClientEarth announces Laura Clarke OBE as its new CEO". www.clientearth.org. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  4. ↑ IndiaInc (2017). "100 Most Influential in UK-India Relations" (PDF).
  5. ↑ "Ms Laura Clarke". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  6. ↑ The Asian Independent (26 October 2018). "UK & Samoa – A historic relationship set to become stronger".
  7. ↑ The Guardian (2 January 2020). "Here's why the UK wants to strengthen its relationship with New Zealand Māori". TheGuardian.com .
  8. ↑ Ainge Roy, Eleanor (5 November 2018). "UK high commission in New Zealand to recruit Māori adviser and te reo teacher". The Guardian . ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  9. ↑ The Gisborne Herald (3 October 2019). "Iwi respond to British 'regret'".
  10. ↑ New Zealand Herald (23 October 2019). "Laura Clarke, the British diplomat who made history".
  11. ↑ Radio New Zealand. "NZ begins free trade talks for 'comprehensive' deal with UK". Radio New Zealand .
  12. ↑ Tea with the High Commission. "Jacinda Ardern". ukinnz.podbean.com. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  13. ↑ Tea with the High Commission. "Sam Neill". ukinnz.podbean.com. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  14. ↑ Tea with the High Commission. "Eddie Izzard". ukinnz.podbean.com. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  15. ↑ "The Governor of Pitcairn Island Laura Clarke's first journey to the remote islands - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  16. ↑ Harris, Dominic (26 October 2019). "Chef hopes beer-shout offer if England beat ABs isn't a half-baked idea". Stuff.co.nz . Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  17. ↑ "No. 63218". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2020. p. N26.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.