Tom Phillips (diplomat)

Sir Tom Richard Vaughan Phillips, KCMG (born 21 June 1950) is a diplomat who served as Commandant of the Royal College of Defence Studies from 2014 to 2018.

Sir Tom Phillips KCMG
British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia
In office September 2010 – 2012
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	David Cameron
Preceded by	Sir William Patey
Succeeded by	Sir John Jenkins
British Ambassador to Israel
In office 2006–2010
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Tony Blair Gordon Brown
Preceded by	Sir Simon McDonald
Succeeded by	Matthew Gould
British High Commissioner to Uganda
In office 2000–2002
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Michael Cook
Succeeded by	Adam Wood
Personal details
Born	Tom Richard Vaughan Phillips (1950-06-21) 21 June 1950 (age 75)
Spouse	Anne de la Motte ​ (m. 1986)​
Children	2

Career

Educated at the University of Exeter, Jesus College, Oxford, and Wolfson College, Oxford, Phillips spent three years as a journalist and then undertook diplomatic postings in Zimbabwe, Israel, and the United States of America.^[1] Phillips became British High Commissioner to Uganda in 2000, UK Special Representative for Afghanistan in 2002 and British Ambassador to Israel in 2006.^[2] He went on to be British Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2010^[3] and Commandant of the Royal College of Defence Studies from 2014 to 2018.^[4] He is an Honorary Fellow of St Edmund's College, Cambridge.^[5]

Family

In 1986 Phillips married Anne de la Motte; they have two sons.^[1]