Laura Mary Clarke (born 3 June 1978) is the CEO of ClientEarth a global non-profit environmental law organisation. She is a former British diplomat, who served as the

British High Commissioner to New Zealand The High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to New Zealand is the United Kingdom's foremost diplomatic representative in New Zealand, and head of the UK's diplomatic mission in New Zealand. As the United Kingdom and New Zealand are fellow memb ...

, and the Governor of Pitcairn.

Biography

Clarke is the CEO of ClientEarth, having taken over from founding-CEO James Thornton. Clarke took up her role as High Commissioner to New Zealand, and Governor of the Pitcairn Islands in January 2018. Her previous role was as the UK Government's India Co-ordinator and Head of the South Asia Department in the

Foreign and Commonwealth Office The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, department of the Government of the United Kingdom. Equivalent to other countries' Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ministries of fore ...

. While serving in these roles she was ranked as one of the most influential people in UK-India relations. Other roles included Political Counsellor in Pretoria, South Africa, Chief of Staff to the Minister for Europe, and roles in the Ministry of Justice, British Parliament and European Commission. Clarke served as non-Resident British High Commissioner to Samoa from March 2018 to December 2019, when the British Government established a Resident High Commission in Samoa. In her role as High Commissioner to New Zealand, Clarke placed an emphasis on strengthening relations with Māori of New Zealand. In November 2018 the British High Commission employed its first Maori adviser and also a language teacher for Clarke. In October 2019 Clarke expressed regret, on behalf of the British Government, for the killing of 9 Māori during the first encounters with the crew of

James Cook James Cook (7 November 1728 Old Style date: 27 October – 14 February 1779) was a British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the British Royal Navy, famous for his three voyages between 1768 and 1779 in the Pacific Ocean an ...

’s Endeavour. In July 2020, Clarke launched UK-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement Negotiations alongside PM Jacinda Ardern and NZ Trade Minister David Parker. Clarke hosted the British High Commission podcast, ‘Tea with the High Commission’, with guests including Jacinda Ardern, actor Sam Neill and comedian Eddie Izzard. As Governor of Pitcairn, Clarke had oversight of governance and economic support for the Pitcairn Islands. She and her husband made a film of her first visit. Clarke is married to Toby Fisher, a New Zealander, and they have three children. She was appointed

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(OBE) in the

2021 New Year Honours The 2021 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebration ...

for services to British foreign policy.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clarke, Laura Living people 21st-century British diplomats British women ambassadors High Commissioners of the United Kingdom to New Zealand Governors of Pitcairn Officers of the Order of the British Empire 1978 births