Antonia Romeo named Her Majesty's Consul General in New York

Former Oliver Wyman consultant Antonia Romeo has been appointed Her Majesty’s Consul General in New York and to the newly created role of Director-General Economic and Commercial Affairs USA. Romeo succeeds Danny Lopez as Consul General, who will return to the private sector in London. Antonia Romeo will take up her appointment in July 2016, and will be the first woman to serve in the position.

Antonia Romeo started her career in 1996 with Oliver Wyman, where she worked in the firm’s financial services practice. In 2000 she joined the civil service as an economist. Over the past 15 years she has held several roles with UK Government departments. Romeo currently serves as Her Majesty’s Government’s Special Envoy to US technology companies, a role she has been in since October 2015. In this role she works with the US based technology firms across prosperity, security, and regulatory issues, based out of New York. Prior to this, Romeo was Director General and head of the Economic and Domestic Secretariat in the Cabinet Office, responsible for coordinating policy advice to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, and for oversight of the Implementation Unit and the operation of the Implementation Task Forces to deliver the Prime Minister’s top policy priorities.

Her previous positions include, among others, Director-General Criminal Justice at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Director at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Principal Private Secretary to the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice at MoJ.

As Consul General, Antonia Romeo will have responsibility for promoting the UK’s economic profile, foreign policy, and national security priorities in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut’s Fairfield County. As Director-General Economic and Commercial Affairs USA, she will direct the business and prosperity work of the UK Government across the United States, including oversight of the North American operations of UK Trade & Investment, the foreign commercial arm of the UK Government.

Sir Kim Darroch, Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the United States, says he is “delighted” with Romeo’s appointment. The newly created role of Director-General Economic and Commercial Affairs USA “reflects the vital UK-US trade relationship*”, says Darroch, adding that Romeo will bring “unique expertise and dynamism” to the position. On top of her new roles, the former Oliver Wyman consultant will retain her current position as Special Envoy to US technology companies.

Antonia Romeo holds an MA (PPE) from Oxford University, and an MSc (Economics) from the London School of Economics.

* The US is UK’s most important trading partner in terms of economic output.