Sir William Geoffrey Ehrman KCMG (born 28 August 1950) is a retired British diplomat and former chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee.[1][2]

Sir William Ehrman
British Ambassador to China
In office
15 March 2006 – January 2010
MonarchElizabeth II
PresidentHu Jintao
Prime MinisterTony Blair
Gordon Brown
PremierWen Jiabao
Preceded bySir Christopher Hum
Succeeded bySir Sebastian Wood
British Ambassador to Luxembourg
In office
1998–2000
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterTony Blair
Preceded byNick Elam
Succeeded byGordon Wetherell
Personal details
Born (1950-08-28) 28 August 1950 (age 74)
SpousePenelope Anne LePatourel
Children4
Parent(s)John Patrick William Ehrman (father)
Susan Blake (mother)
Alma materEton College
Trinity College, Cambridge

Early life

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Ehrman was born on 28 August 1950 to the historian John Patrick William Ehrman and Susan Blake. He was educated at Lockers Park School and Eton College, followed by Trinity College, Cambridge, from which he graduated with a first class degree in Chinese.

Career

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Ehrman joined the British Diplomatic Service in 1973 and had postings in Beijing, New York and Hong Kong. He was Principal Private Secretary to three Foreign Secretaries from 1995 to 1997 and the British Ambassador to Luxembourg from 1998 to 2000.

He was the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Director General for Defence and Intelligence between 2002 and 2004,[3] before becoming Chairman of the United Kingdom's Joint Intelligence Committee from 2004 to 2005 and British Ambassador to China from 2006 to 2010.

Personal life

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Ehrman is married to Penelope Anne Le Patourel (daughter of Brigadier Wallace Le Patourel VC), and the couple have three daughters and a son.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b "New JIC chair William Ehrman profiled". BBC News. 20 July 2004.
  2. ^ A & C Black (2012). "EHRMAN, Sir William (Geoffrey)". Who's Who 2012, online edition. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  3. ^ "Inquiry told Iraq could not 'use' chemical weapons". BBC News. BBC. 25 November 2009. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
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Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Principal Private Secretary
to the Foreign Secretary

1995–1997
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Nick Elam
British Ambassador
to Luxembourg

1998–2000
Succeeded by
Preceded by Director, International Security
of the Foreign Office

2000–2002
Succeeded by
Edward Oakden
Preceded by Director-General, Defence and Intelligence
of the Foreign Office

2002–2004
Succeeded by
Sir David Richmond
Preceded by British Ambassador
to China

2006–2010
Succeeded by
Government offices
Preceded by Chairman of the
Joint Intelligence Committee

2004–2005
Succeeded by