The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has appointed David Concar as His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Chile, succeeding Louise de Sousa. He is due to take up post in March 2026, according to the department’s announcement on 24 November 2025.
The timing is significant for trade policy. The UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans‑Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) entered into force for the UK on 15 December 2024, with Chile among the participating parties. The Department for Business and Trade has stated that more than 99% of current UK goods exports to CPTPP members are tariff‑free under the agreement.
For exporters and service providers, the practical work now rests on compliance with rules of origin and use of the agreement’s procedures. The government’s published summary explains the ratification steps under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (CRaG) and the conditions for entry into force that were met in 2024, giving businesses a stable ruleset for planning.
Mr Concar’s background aligns with this brief. The FCDO notice and his GOV.UK biography record senior postings as British High Commissioner to Tanzania (2020–2024) and HM Ambassador to Somalia (2017–2019), alongside roles as Head of the International Organisations Department and Head of the Climate Change & Energy Department. Earlier Beijing postings covered prosperity, climate and science portfolios, following earlier work at New Scientist and the BBC.
That experience provides established familiarity with multilateral processes and climate policy files, which feature in UK–Chile cooperation from clean energy to science collaboration. It should support continuity as Whitehall departments and the embassy progress workstreams linked to the energy transition and responsible investment.
Mr Concar also served on temporary duty in the Overseas Territories Directorate during 2024–2025. That exposure is relevant to regional issues that can intersect with Chile’s wider neighbourhood, including polar science and marine environmental protection, where coordination between posts and London is routine.
According to the FCDO, 2025 will be used for pre‑posting and language training ahead of the move. On arrival in 2026, the usual sequence will follow: presentation of credentials and initial outreach across central government, regions, and business, with trade promotion under CPTPP likely to feature prominently in the early programme.
For companies and universities, this sets a clear window for engagement planning. Organisations intending to claim CPTPP preferences should continue to check official guidance on origin paperwork and the agreement’s digital trade provisions, and align market access queries with the British Embassy in Santiago.
Louise de Sousa will transfer to another Diplomatic Service role, as confirmed by the FCDO. Consular arrangements remain unchanged.