Foreign Office is now more accessible to women, says former ambassador
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Version 0 of 1. We spoke to Julie Chappell, head of the emerging powers department at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, who is leading a campaign to promote British businesses abroad and just won a Women of the Future award. <strong>How accessible is the Foreign Office for young women?</strong><br /> I've worked for the FCO for 15 years and been based in Nigeria, Cameroon, Jordan, the US, the horn of Africa and Guatemala, as well as London. When I joined I would often be the only girl in a meeting; that's rare now. I'm working with Pinky Lilani on a project for sixth-formers, which aims to make sure that talented girls, wherever they are coming from, get access to the corridors of power. I am also working on a forum for women leaders all over the world, which will be like Davos – a chance to talk about the really important issues of the day. <strong>In your first ambassador role in Guatemala you were the youngest ever UK ambassador to a foreign country at 31. What was that like?</strong><br /> The culture there was very respectful of age and quite macho – most of my colleagues were older than me and male. Being different wasn't always comfortable, but I used it to my advantage by tapping in to the large youth population in Guatemala and gaining media interest, which helped me to get across British priorities. <strong>What makes a good diplomat?</strong><br /> People think we just stand around drinking and chatting, but the job is really hard work. It's important to have creativity and vision – you know what the priorities are in London, but suddenly you're out in post and deciding how you deliver them is completely up to you. You also need a thick skin. Before I became an ambassador I was used to being part of a team and someone people liked, but when you step up to a leadership role you have to learn not to take criticism personally and use it to get better at your job. <strong>What are the challenges?</strong><br /> I joined the FCO straight from university and have moved around every two to three years. It's exciting, but you have to get used to the fact that you won't establish roots in any one place. <strong>Who inspires you in your career?</strong><br /> Karen Pierce, the UK representative to the UN, is an incredible person. People often think women need a certain style of leadership to succeed in the FCO, but Karen is a very natural person to talk to; she has done it her own way and I really respect that. We need lots of different types of people. <strong>What has been your biggest achievement?</strong><br /> Jordan was my favourite place to live, but I'm most proud of my present job working for the Great campaign and promoting British businesses at a time when it's really important that we get out there and be confident. I recently won a Women of the Future award for the project, which was incredibly exciting. <strong>What would you be doing if you weren't a civil servant?</strong><br /> I think I would be campaigning on an issue that was important to me. In Guatemala I worked with groups campaigning against violence against women, and I really admire Leyla Hussein's campaign against female genital mutilation. <em>• Want your say? Email us at public.leaders@theguardian.com. </em> <strong>To get our articles on policy and leadership direct to your inbox, sign up to the Guardian</strong><strong> Public Leaders Network</strong><strong> now. </strong> <strong>Looking for your next role? See our </strong><strong>Guardian jobs site</strong><strong> for </strong><strong>senior executive jobs in government and politics</strong><strong>. </strong> <em>• For the latest on public services leadership, follow us: </em><em>@Guardianpublic</em> Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |