Cylch LDN Live Interview with Menna Rawlings, former British Ambassador to France and now President of Queens College, Cambridge

​Dame Menna Rawlings is both the first woman to be British Ambassador to France, and as of the 1st of October this year, the first female President of Queens’ College, Cambridge.

​As well as British Ambassador to France and Monaco (2021-2025), Menna was also British High Commissioner to Australia (2015-2019). She joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1989 and served in Brussels, Kenya, Israel, Ghana and Washington DC. In London, she was twice a member of the FCO Board, as Director-General for Global and Economic Issues (2019-2020) and as HR Director (2011-2014).

​Menna born and raised in London with a mother from the Rhondda valley and English father, and often travelled back to Wales to visit family. When she was 18, her parents in fact moved to Wales.

​In an interview, Menna said "During my childhood, we used to go up and down the M4 whenever we could to see family so I've always felt that Wales is home. I've travelled around the world a lot but Wales is where I always come home to and it feels a very strong part of my personal identity."

​I hope you can join me to hear about Menna's life, career, her relationship to Wales and her thoughts on Britain and Wales's place in the world today.

​18:00 - Doors open

​18:30 - Interview commences

​19:30 - Audience Q&As

​19:45 - Networking over drinks