Christopher Mallaby

Sir
Christopher Mallaby
GCMG GCVO
Mallaby commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Berlin airlift
British Ambassador to France
In office
1993–1996
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterJohn Major
Preceded bySir Ewen Fergusson
Succeeded bySir Michael Jay
British Ambassador to Germany
(West Germany, 1988–1990)
In office
1988–1993
MonarchElizabeth II
PresidentRichard von Weizsäcker
Prime Minister
ChancellorHelmut Kohl
Preceded bySir Julian Bullard
Succeeded bySir Nigel Broomfield
Personal details
Born(1936-07-07)7 July 1936
Camberley, Surrey, England
Died28 February 2022(2022-02-28) (aged 85)
Westminster, London, England
Spouse
Pascale Thierry-Mieg
​
​
(m. 1962; died 2020)​
Children4, including Sebastian
Parent
EducationEton College
Alma materKing's College, Cambridge
Harvard Business School

Sir Christopher Leslie George Mallaby GCMG GCVO (7 July 1936 – 28 February 2022) was a British diplomat.

Early life and career

Christopher Leslie George Mallaby was born in Camberley, Surrey, England on 7 July 1936. The son of Brigadier A. W. S. Mallaby CIE OBE and Margaret Catherine Mallaby (née Jones), he was educated at Eton College and studied Modern Languages and History at King's College, Cambridge. In 1971 he studied at Harvard Business School. After leaving university he entered Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service in 1959.

Mallaby was British Ambassador to West Germany 1988-1992, British Ambassador to France 1993-1996 and Managing Director of UBS Investment Bank.

He was chairman of Somerset House Trust from 2002–2006, and trustee of the Tate Gallery Group 1996-2002. He was also as of 2011 a trustee director and deputy-chairman of Reuters, and since 2001 has been the chairman of EORTC.

Mallaby was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 1982 Birthday Honours, promoted to Knight Commander of the Order (KCMG) in the 1988 New Year Honours, and to Knight Grand Cross of the Order (GCMG) in the 1996 Birthday Honours. He was also appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order in 1992. He was appointed Chancellor of the Order of St Michael and St George in 2005.

In an interview in 2009, when asked how bad the relationship between the prime minister of the United Kingdom Margaret Thatcher and Chancellor of Germany Helmut Kohl was, Mallaby replied, "Very bad. It was about personal chemistry. They didn't naturally enjoy each other's company. Mrs Thatcher had easier relationships with Reagan or Gorbachev."

He initiated the Entente Cordiale Scholarship scheme, a prestigious Franco-British scholarship programme.

Personal life and death

In 1961 Mallaby married Pascale Thierry-Mieg, and they had a son, the journalist and author Sebastian Mallaby, and three daughters. Lady Mallaby died on 11 February 2020. Christopher Mallaby died at his home in Westminster, London, on 28 February 2022, aged 85.

References

  1. 1 2 "Mallaby, Sir Christopher Leslie George". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
  2. ↑ "The UBS Art Collection : Home > About Us > Art Collection Board > Sir Christopher Mallaby". www.ubs.com. Retrieved 27 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  3. ↑ "Thomson Reuters | Sir Christopher Mallaby, GCMG, GCVO". Archived from the original on 26 November 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  4. ↑ "CMallaby | EORTC". Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  5. ↑ "No. 49008". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 1982. p. 4.
  6. ↑ "No. 51171". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1987. p. 3.
  7. ↑ "No. 54427". The London Gazette. 14 June 1996. p. 3.
  8. ↑ "No. 53104". The London Gazette. 10 November 1992. p. 18867.
  9. ↑ "No. 57615". The London Gazette. 18 April 2005. p. 1.
  10. ↑ "Thatcher versus Kohl: 'They Didn't Naturally Enjoy Each Other's Company'". Der Spiegel. 14 September 2009.
  11. ↑ "Crossing the Channel, Promoting academic mobility within Europe" (PDF). francobritishcouncil.org.uk. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  12. ↑ "Are International Exchange and Mobility Programmes Effective Tools of Symmetric Public Diplomacy?" (PDF). cadair.aber.ac.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  13. ↑ Mallaby
  14. ↑ "Mallaby, Sir Christopher". The Times. 5 March 2022. Archived from the original on 5 March 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2022.