Chris Sainty formally presented his credentials to the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, on Monday and has now officially started his mandate as the new British Ambassador in Portugal.
Sainty was appointed in January, in succession to Kirsty Hayes.
In his video message to the British community in Portugal, he said: “You won’t be surprised to hear that Brexit is the number one issue for me.
He added: “I know many of you are worried and uncertain about what our departure from the EU will mean for you and your families, particularly as we enter this final stage of negotiations. I do understand your concerns.
“My top priority is doing what I can to protect the interests of the British community in Portugal. I will work with the Portuguese authorities to achieve the best possible outcome for you and your families.”
Sainty has already been in Portugal for around a month and has been “busy behind the scenes, getting to know key people in the Portuguese government”.
A video of Sainty’s full statement can be found on the British Embassy Lisbon’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/britishembassylisbon/videos/173045456915132/).
Since 2015, Chris Sainty has been the European Correspondent and Head of Europe (South) Department for the FCO.
He was the Deputy Head of Mission in Rome between 2011 and 2015, and worked as a Political Counsellor in Islamabad, Pakistan for two years (2008-2010).
The diplomat has also spent two years in The Hague, also as Deputy Head of Mission, and was the Head of EU Presidency Department from 2004 to 2006.
His previous experience also includes a stint as First Secretary in Madrid (2000-2004) and as the Head of the FCO’s Newsroom (1998-2000), two years working in the FCO’s Common Foreign and Security Policy Unit (1996-1998), four years as the Second Secretary in New Delhi, India, and two years in the FCO’s Hong Kong Department (1990-1992).
