Sir Laurence Stanley Charles Bristow was born on 23 November 1963 and is a British diplomat who served as British Ambassador to Afghanistan between June and November 2021, notably during the fall of Kabul.
15 Facts About Laurie Bristow
Laurie Bristow served as British Ambassador to Azerbaijan from 2004 to 2007 and British Ambassador to Russia from 2016 to 2020.
Laurie Bristow was educated at Colchester Royal Grammar School, and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a BA in 1986.
Laurie Bristow received a PhD in English literature from the University of Cambridge in 1990, with a thesis called "Ezra Pound: Poetry and Public Speaking".
Laurie Bristow gained an MBA in 2001 from The Open University.
Laurie Bristow joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1990.
Laurie Bristow then returned to the FCO in London, where he worked in the European Union department.
Laurie Bristow was British Ambassador to Azerbaijan from 18 February 2004 to 2007.
Laurie Bristow was minister in Moscow from 2007 to 2010.
Laurie Bristow then returned to London as Director, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, from 2010 until 2012.
Laurie Bristow subsequently replaced Thomas Drew as Director, Intelligence and National Security.
Laurie Bristow's tenure ended in January 2020, and he was succeeded by Deborah Bronnert.
Laurie Bristow succeeded Alison Blake as Ambassador to Afghanistan in June 2021.
In October 2022, Laurie Bristow became President of Hughes Hall, a postgraduate college of the University of Cambridge.
Laurie Bristow was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George "for services to British foreign policy interests and national security" in the 2015 New Year Honours and promoted as Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 2019 New Year Honours.