Kolkata, 18 November 2013
Mr Scott Furssedonn-Wood is the new British Deputy High Commissioner in Eastern India.
Mr Furssedonn-Wood said: ‘I am delighted to be in Kolkata, where we’ve been given such a warm welcome. The British connections here are strong. They are deeply rooted in our shared history but are still vibrant and full of opportunity for our shared future. India has long been a special place for my wife and me. We have visited many times and we’re excited now to have longer to explore this beautiful and fascinating country.’
Before being posted to Kolkata Mr Furssedonn-Wood was based in the US. From 2008 until 2013 he served at the British Embassy in Washington DC, first as Head of Strategic Threats, working on counter-terrorism and counter-proliferation issues; and then as Head of the Political Section, where he was responsible for coverage of the 2012 Presidential election, a role which took him to 47 of the 50 states.
Prior to Washington, he spent two years at the Foreign Office in London as Private Secretary to the Minister of State for the Middle East & South Asia, during which time he travelled to over fifty countries, including to India and its neighbours on many occasions.
Mr Furssedonn-Wood is a MA (Hons) in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Merton College, Oxford University and has a MBA from Open University.
His passion is travel. Other interests include art, history and photography. He also likes running and walking his dog. Above all, he enjoys spending time with his young family. He is married to Elizabeth and they have two daughters and one son.