Embassy Induction Seminar 2016

Embassy Team

The ninth Embassy Induction Seminar attracted record attendance from more than 200 newly arrived diplomats from 100 missions, in a day packed with networking, information gathering and debate at 11 Cavendish Square. It was standing room only at the spouse programme which really came into its own this year.

The day started with introductory briefings from the FCO, the Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps Mr Alistair Harrison, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps Mr Khaled Al Duwaisan and the Doyenne of the Diplomatic Corps Mrs Dalal Al Duwaisan. Delegates were then introduced to the many vibrant diplomatic associations in London, while embassy managers got down to business in the management meeting with FCO Protocol, and spouses received advice on employment, professional development and schooling.

An essential personal safety seminar from Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection was next, followed by a series of informative workshops where diplomats got to grips with all the basics of living in London.

There was plenty of discussion in the diplomacy workshops, where the impact of Brexit dominated most talks covering politics, consular affairs, economics and trade, press, education, science and culture.

After a packed day, diplomats and spouses unwound with a convivial networking reception and prize draw – but with so many contacts and friends made, everybody was a winner on the day.

PHOTOS:PIERRE DE VILLIERS

Andrew Sabey and Edward Dick (BMW Park Lane) welcome Khairul Omar (Brunei)

The High Commissioner for Sri Lanka Ms Amari Mandika meets Helen Gardner of Chacalli De Decker

Dan Platt (Clements Worldwide) discusses insurance with Jozef Curgaly (Slovakia)

Kerry Low and Toni McCloggan (Embassy Group) chat to Dr Nicholas Da Costa (The London Clinic)

Sander and Marc Stockbroekx of Diplomatic Card Services in discussion with Mr M P Singh (India)

Tony Egan of DTS chats to Maria Neida Matavele (Mozambique)

Sue King of Jaguar Land Rover meets Philip Paul Peters (Singapore)

Maria Deen and Valentina Jahonte (VFS) meet Jolanta Grzelczyk and Agnieszka Skolimowska (both Poland)

Agnes Fenyvesy (Hungary) introduces the Diplomatic Spouse Club of London to the new spouses, with Sheila Reid (Embassy Group) and Dalal Al Duwaisan (Kuwait), the Doyenne of the Diplomatic Corps

Richard Low and Sue Beament (Embassy Group) welcome guests to the Embassy Induction Seminar

Belinda Wava (Haiti) chats to Mary Langford (Dwight School London)

Eric Van Munsteren (Sixt Luxury Cars UK) meets Ghazi Almershed (Kuwait)

A packed plenary session with Paul Connolly (FCO), the Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps Alistair Harrison and the Ambassador of Kuwait and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps Mr Khaled Al Duwaisan

Marita Lejiete (Latvia) talks relocation with Emma Trafford (Robinsons Relocation)

Maria De Aveiro Fernandez (Mill Hill School) in conversation with Emma Sarne (The Philippines)

Rebecca Kendall (Stackhouse Poland) and Kersin Killian (Sweden)

The Embassy Managers Meeting with Protective Security Operations, (Met Police), DVLA, HMRC and FCO Protocol

Helen Erhabor (Plax Jewellery) meets Babakhan Aslami (Afghanistan) and Aqila Rahmani (Afghanistan)

Romain Nogues (Audi City London) with Nor’aidah Hassan and Rozita Ismail (Brunei) at a busy stand

Relocation & Transport: Kerry Chislett (Pickfords), Dominique Dyer and Kieron Thomas (DVLA) and Hannah Farthing (Transport for London)

Michael Matthews of The Athenaeum explains his hotel’s transformation to Sebastiao dos Santos Kiala (Angola)

Brian Pitkin of Protective Security Operations at the Met Police gives spouses a personal safety briefing

Razan Alsaket (Jordan) talks security with Mark Exley of Special Projects & Services Limited

Adriana Mira de Pereira (El Salvador) and her husband Javier meet Ajay Sampla of Millennium Hotels

DPAAL President Esther Corral introduces the press panel: Christopher Wyld (FPA), Jonathan Marcus (BBC), Andrew Pittam and Steven Hardy (FCO) and Niall Duffy (IPSO)

Deyneka Beckford (Jamaica) meets Steven McGovern of The Stafford Hotel

Kevin Sillwood (Heathrow VIP Suite) chats to Mamdoh Alqasem, Ahmed Almalki and Lt Col Bandaer Ahmed (all Saudi Arabia)

A packed room for the travel and culture session

Fatmah Lallamahamood of the Academy of Diplomacy and International Governance chats to Triinu Tajasalu (Estonia)

Kaye Shelford (The Rembrandt) meets Mohammed Al-Ali (UAE)

Healthcare panel: Dr Haidar Hassan and Dr Sara Marchner (Swedish Smile Clinic), Dr Nicholas Da Costa (The London Clinic) and Aziz Pandor, Victoria Medical Centre

Yewande Oyefesobi, Hadiza Musa and Marion Benson (all Nigeria) meet Kerry Chislett and Ray Eldridge of Pickfords

Michelle Grant chats to Emilia Atmangara (Australia) and Sameer Saxena (India)

The Economic Panel – Rosa Wilkonson (DIT), Mark Boleat (The City), Guy Bromley (BEIS) and chair Mathias Francke (Chile) of the AERL

Ken Craig (American School of London) meets Kyaw Htin Lin (Myanmar)

Diana Kaler and deen Amin of The Royal Horseguards Hotel (GLH Hotels)

Elizabeth Stewart opens the Q&A in the Finance Session with Daniel Platt and Ibrahim Ozkaratan of Clements Worldwide Joao Paulo Brito (Portugal) meets Tony Payne of Towergate Insurance

Andalusia Dewi and Anisa Farida (both Indonesia) with Frank Dolan and Ashok Sharma of CIBT Visas

Mark McDonald of 11 Cavendish Square meets Dr Christoph Weingartner (Austria)

The Education panel: Chris Jones (City Lit), Baharak Moradi, WDS Scholar, Rosalie Rivett of the Academy of Diplomacy and International Governance (ADIG), Senen Mangalile, ADIG Scholar, and Rachel O’Connell (UAL and BUILA)

Time to refuel at a well earned lunch break

Beth Goudey and Ti Ying Lee (USA) of the WDS with WDS Scholar Baharak Moradi (IMO)

Karin Mueller (Liebfrog), Ulvi Taghizade (Azerbaijan) and Embassy Editor Elizabeth Stewart

Peter Mason (UUKi) talks about the UK Higher Education landscape in the Education/Science/Culture workshop

Diplomats engage in some intensive networking

The High Commissioner for Sri Lanka Ms Amari Mandika Wijewardene with Thuzar Myint and Than Tun Aung (Myanmar)

Diplomats reflect on the day at the wine reception

Diplomats and spouses unwind at the end of a packed day

Linda Redding and Lynn Hucker (HMRC Embassy Unit) and Peter Rowe and Jonathan Fox (HMRC International)

Lyn Parker (Australia) received a Welcome to London fruit basket from David Hebden and Tony Payne of Towergate Insurance Brokers

Embassy Editor gives the new diplomats a cheerful welcome

The Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps Alistair Harrison addresses the plenary session

The Ambassador of Kuwait Mr Khaled Al Duwaisan gives the Dean’s Guide to Diplomacy

Juliette Bolon (International School of London) talks education with Towera Zimba (Malawi)

Lester Canning and Paul Connolly of the FCO Protocol Directorate take questions from the floor

Mary Mphonda, wife of the Malawi High Commissioner welcomes the African spouses

Mr Hoang Minh Doan (Vietnam) meets Graham Irani of IDS

Mirian Nasser de Romero (Honduras) talks about the Latin American spouse activities in London

Shereen Capper (New Zealand) introduces the Foreign Agricultural Club

Nicholas Niggli (Switzerland), Chairman of the AERL

Senen Mangalile (Philippines) Vice President of the Consular Corps of London

Lina Slaymaker (The London Clinic) with Inas Humam Zyarah (Iraq)

Esther Corral Cortes (Spain), President of DPAAL

Catarina Ferreira (Portugal) President of EUNIC

Aniko Dobi Rozsa of the London Diplomatic Science Club

Mohamed El Ansari (UAE), President of the London Education And Research Network

Ilda de Sousa and Andreas White of Kingsley Napley discuss employment obligations at the Embassy Managers’ Meeting

Rafal Sordyl (Poland) President of the YDL and Baharak Moradi (IMO) introduce the YDL

Ed Millicent (Home Office) gives an overview of Home Office priorites

James Roscoe (Foreign Office) outlines FCO priorites and structure

Matthew Hamlyn (House of Commons Overseas Office) talks about Parliamentary diplomacy

Andrew Rosindell of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons

Carmen Davies of the DSFA and DSCL talks about life as a diplomatic spouse in the Diplomatic Neighbours session

Kieron Thomas (DVLA) in discussion with Karen Wallace (USA)

Sue Ackerman of Rowland Brothers International at the Consular Workshop

Lord Howell, chair of the International Relations Committee of the House of Lords

James Roscoe takes a question in the Politics session

YDL Committee member Belinda Wava meets Col Hussain Musa of Nigeria

Ricardo Carioni (Nicaragua) poses a question in the Politics Q&A

Paula Marisa Chidumo (Mozambique) wins a hamper of Farm Stall goodies from Emma Trafford of Robinsons Relocation

Cheryl Toh (Singapore) wins a Land Rover Experience from Sue King

Carmen Davies (DSCL) wins a bottle of bubbly from Paul Gardner of Chacalli De Decker

Humphrey Ngala Ndi (Cameroon) wins some champagne from Maria Deen of VFS

Rosalie Asuque (Philippines) wins Afternoon Tea for two at the Copthorne Tara hotel

Vicencio Brito (Angola) wins some fizz from Sander Stockbroekx of Diplomatic Card Services

Eric Van Munsteren (Sixt Luxury Cars UK) awards a prize to Babakhan Aslami (Afghanistan)

Sue Ackerman of Rowland Brothers gives Ling Eleanor Zhang (DSCL) a prize of two Open Top Bus Tickets

Svetozar Dimitrov (Bulgaria) wins a prize from Michael Quilter of Special Projects & Services Ltd

Carol Lee-Lea wins a dinner at Bugis Street Brasserie courtesy of Ajay Sampla of the Millennium Gloucester Hotel

Inna Yehorova (Ukraine) wins stylish Symthson passport holders from Amit Sharma of Heathrow Airport Ltd

Emmaculate Nanga Ndi (Cameroon) wins a weekend stay with Skyline Worldwide Serviced Apartments from Hassan El Mantawy

Gloria Ditau (Botswana) wins an annual family membership of the National Trust courtesy of Ray Eldridge of Pickfords

Brendan Cody (Norway) wins a stay at the five-star Rosewood Hotel from Mahmoud Abdalla