Jonathan Powell | |
---|---|
United Kingdom National Security Adviser | |
designate | |
Assumed office December 2024 | |
Prime Minister | Keir Starmer |
Preceded by | Tim Barrow |
Downing Street Chief of Staff | |
In office 2 May 1997 – 27 June 2007 | |
Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
Preceded by | David Wolfson (1985) |
Succeeded by | Tom Scholar |
Chief of Staff to the Leader of the Opposition | |
In office 1995 – 2 May 1997 | |
Leader | Tony Blair |
Succeeded by | Sebastian Coe |
Personal details | |
Born | 14 August 1956 |
Nationality | British |
Spouse | Sarah Helm |
Children | 4 |
Alma mater | University College, Oxford University of Pennsylvania |
Jonathan Nicholas Powell (born 14 August 1956) is a British diplomat and civil servant. In November 2024, he was announced as the UK National Security adviser, serving in Downing Street under British prime minister Keir Starmer. He previously served as the second Downing Street Chief of Staff, under British prime minister Tony Blair from 1997 to 2007. He was the only senior adviser to last the whole period of Blair's leadership.[1] During this period Powell was also the chief British negotiator on Northern Ireland.
In 2007, Powell joined Morgan Stanley as a full-time senior managing director of its investment banking division.[2] He runs the charity Inter Mediate, which works on armed conflicts around the world. In 2014, David Cameron appointed Powell to be the UK's special envoy to Libya.[3]
In 2024, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer appointed Powell as a special envoy to resolve the Chagos Archipelago sovereignty dispute. Following the resolution of the dispute, he was appointed by Prime Minister Starmer to serve as the UK National Security Adviser.[4]