14 Facts About Guli Francis-Dehqani

Gulnar Eleanor "Guli" Francis-Dehqani was born on 18 June 1966 and is an Iranian-born British Anglican bishop who has been Bishop of Chelmsford since 2021.

Guli Francis-Dehqani served as the first Bishop of Loughborough, the suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Leicester, from 2017 to 2021.

Guli Francis-Dehqani's mother Margaret was a daughter of William Thompson.

Guli Francis-Dehqani was educated at Clarendon School for Girls, a private boarding school in Bedfordshire at the time she attended.

Guli Francis-Dehqani went on to study music at the University of Nottingham, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1989.

Guli Francis-Dehqani studied theology at the University of Bristol, graduating with a Master of Arts degree in 1994 and a Doctor of Philosophy in 1999.

Guli Francis-Dehqani worked at the University of Northampton Multi-Faith Chaplaincy between 2009 and 2010, "helping the chaplaincy team develop a more effective multi-faith approach".

In 2011, Guli Francis-Dehqani returned to full-time ministry, having been appointed Curate Training Officer for the Diocese of Peterborough.

Guli Francis-Dehqani was additionally appointed the diocese's Adviser for Women's Ministry in 2012.

Guli Francis-Dehqani was made an honorary canon of Peterborough Cathedral in November 2016.

On 11 July 2017, it was announced that Guli Francis-Dehqani would become the first Bishop of Loughborough, the sole suffragan bishop of the Diocese of Leicester.

Guli Francis-Dehqani was consecrated a bishop during a service at Canterbury Cathedral on 30 November 2017.

Guli Francis-Dehqani joined the House of Lords as one of the Lords Spiritual, under the Lords Spiritual Act 2015 on 1 November 2021.

Guli Francis-Dehqani is married to Lee Francis-Dehqani, a fellow Anglican priest and canon: at the time of her appointment as bishop he was serving as Team Rector of Oakham and Rural Dean of Rutland and in 2018 was appointed Team Rector of the Fosse Team in Leicester Diocese.