Paul Madden CMG FRGS served as the UK Ambassador to Japan from 2017 to 2021, High Commissioner to Australia from 2011 to 2015 and High Commissioner to Singapore from 2007 to 2011. His diplomatic career, which included a posting at the British Embassy in Washington, focused particularly on Indo Pacific and trade issues.

He was Managing Director of the UK Trade & Investment department from 2005 to 2007, Private Secretary to the Minister for Corporate Affairs at the department from 1984 to 1986 and Head of the Japan and Korea Team at the department from 1986 to 1987.

He is currently a Senior Advisor of Trade and Asia Pacific at Stonehaven, where he advises a number of major corporate clients. He is also a Visiting Professor of International Relations at Keio University. He is a fluent Japanese speaker.

He has written books on Japan and Singapore and is a trustee of the UK/Japan 21st Century Group as well as Senior Adviser to the Japan Studies Centre at the University of East Anglia.