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The Embassy of the United Kingdom in Vienna |
Contact
Address: Jauresgasse 12, 1030 Vienna, Austria
Tel.: +43 1 716 130
E-mail: press@britishembassy.at
https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-vienna
The Ambassador
Lindsay Skoll
Lindsay Skoll has been serving as the United Kingdom's Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna since January 2021. In this role, she represents the United Kingdom's interests and priorities in Austria and at various international organizations, working to strengthen bilateral relations and advance UK positions in multilateral forums.
Ambassador Skoll brings a wealth of diplomatic experience to her position, with a career in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) spanning over two decades. She joined the FCO in 1996, following work with the Japanese Ministry of Education and a background in international public and cultural relations.
Throughout her career, Ambassador Skoll has held several high-profile positions, demonstrating her versatility and expertise in various regions and aspects of diplomacy. Prior to her current appointment, she served as Minister and Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Moscow from 2018 to 2020. Her previous ambassadorial experience includes serving as the British High Commissioner to the Republic of Seychelles from 2012 to 2015.
Ambassador Skoll's diplomatic career has also included challenging postings such as Deputy Head of Mission in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from 2004 to 2006. Her diverse experience extends to policy roles within the Foreign Office, covering areas such as North East Asia, the Gulf, Africa, Maritime Security, Climate Change, and Russia.
With a first-class honours degree in history with Russian, Ambassador Skoll brings strong academic credentials and linguistic skills to her role. Her background equips her well for navigating complex diplomatic landscapes and fostering international cooperation.
As Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Lindsay Skoll is responsible for directing the work of the embassy and its consulates, including political work, trade and investment, press and cultural relations, and visa and consular services. Her extensive experience in various aspects of diplomacy and international relations makes her well-suited to represent the UK's interests in Austria and at international organizations in Vienna.
Throughout her career, Ambassador Skoll has demonstrated adaptability and expertise across different regions and diplomatic challenges, positioning her to effectively promote UK interests and strengthen international partnerships in her current role.
History
Formal diplomatic relations between Britain and Austria date back to the 17th century, when the Habsburg monarchy established a permanent delegation in London; the relationship included a formal 18th-century Anglo-Austrian Alliance (1731–1756) and cooperation during the Napoleonic Wars and the Congress of Vienna. The UK's grand embassy residence in Vienna, purchased and built in the 1870s under Ambassador Sir Andrew Buchanan, was sold off after the 1938 Anschluss and repurchased by the British government after WWII, having suffered wartime damage. Since Austria's independence and neutrality were restored in 1955, relations have been consistently described as positive and friendly, with close economic and technological ties and continued cooperation on shared foreign policy interests, including coordinated responses to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and security cooperation in the Balkans.
