James Barbour

James Barbour joined the Delegation of the European Union in Washington, DC in October 2014 as Head of the Press and Public Diplomacy Section.

He has extensive experience in diplomacy and communications from both public and private sectors.  Since joining the British Diplomatic Service in 1997 he has served as Press Secretary at the British Embassies in both Moscow and Washington, as Chief Press Officer under British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, and as Head of Chancery at the British High Commission in Cape Town.  At headquarters in London he has covered a broad array of issues including  post-conflict reconstruction, human rights, economic policy and corporate social responsibility.  He has also acted as a political and communications consultant to a number of corporations, NGOs and governments.

Mr Barbour holds a Masters degree in Politics from the University of Edinburgh, and a Diploma in Business Administration from the Open University.  Of Scottish extraction, he now lives in Virginia with his wife, two children and far too many vehicles.