The British ambassador does not come in a sealed diplomatic pouch but in a refreshing package of candour
The stereotypes do come with the profession: tight-lipped, stodgy, stiff. Even Laure Beaufils, the British ambassador to the Philippines, says she misguidedly entertained some of them. “It’s funny because when I was younger, when I started in foreign policy, I had this image that I had to be this very posh person, probably this white guy of a certain age in a striped suit.
Thankfully, the sprightly ambassador nixed the idea. “I was trying to be someone I was not, and obviously, I was not doing very well in the process. When you’re more aligned with yourself, you will likely be more successful,” she shared the thought over afternoon tea and savouries.
A veteran of postings in challenging countries, Beaufils has seen too many social ills that cemented her resolve to help find solutions in whatever capacity she could. To this end, she is most experienced as she’s had numerous stops before this ambassadorship, which is her first.
Her interest in development-related issues began at university (BS in economics and international relations, London School of Economics; MSc in business administration, ESSEC Paris)—but first, she did a daughter’s duty. “My father insisted that I get proper skills, so I went to work as an auditor for Arthur Andersen.” But as soon as she got the opportunity to go overseas in her twenties, she went to Cambodia.
“I had no experience; I didn’t speak Khmer. It was quite hard to find a job. But I was very persistent and knocked on every door.” Until one opened at the UNFPA, a UN agency that was doing a lot of work on HIV, violence against women and girls, and working with sex workers in particular. In this job, “the penny dropped,” Beaufils says. “And I got a sense that this is really what I want to dedicate my life to.”
She spent three years in Cambodia. “On the back of that, I did a degree in women’s rights and gender issues, much to the chagrin of my parents, who wanted me to do something more serious.” Then, she started a career in civil service in London, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Nigeria, averaging three years in each assignment.
Beaufils comes with a bulging portfolio, holding a full deck of cards to play when needed, but with her sight fixed on the goal. “As a diplomat, you’re trying to find win-win solutions for your country and your host country.”
She doesn’t find the Philippines as a host country difficult. “We are so very like-minded in many different issues.” But the challenges are still many. “How do you find your niche as the UK, make sure you add value, and contribute something very tangible in key areas? How do you make sure you’re having a real-life impact that is tangible, concrete and monitorable? The trick is finding those areas.”