Nicola Brewer

Dame Nicola Mary Brewer DCMG (born 14 November 1957)^[2] is a former British diplomat and university administrator. From 2014 to 2020, she was Vice-Provost (International) at University College London, she was British High Commissioner to South Africa from 2009 to 2013, and the first Chief Executive of Britain's Equality and Human Rights Commission from 2007 to 2009.

Dame Nicola Brewer DCMG
British High Commissioner to the Republic of South Africa
In office May 2009 – Sept 2013
Preceded by	Paul Boateng
Succeeded by	Judith Macgregor
Chief Executive, Equality and Human Rights Commission
In office March 2007 – May 2009
Preceded by	New position
Succeeded by	Neil Kinghan (interim)
Personal details
Parent	Trevor Brewer (father)
Alma mater	University of Leeds[1]

Education

Brewer was educated at the Belfast Royal Academy, and read English at the University of Leeds, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1980, then taking a Doctorate in linguistics in 1988 there.^{[citation needed]}

Career

Brewer joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 1983, completing overseas postings in South Africa, India, France and Mexico.^{[citation needed]} She served as the FCO's Director for Global Issues from 2001 to 2002, and then as Director-General for Regional Programmes at the Department for International Development (DfID), the DfID board member supervising the UK's overseas bilateral aid programmes.^[3]

In December 2006, Brewer was appointed by open competition as the first Chief Executive of the newly established Equality and Human Rights Commission, the successor body to the Commission for Racial Equality, the Disability Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunities Commission.^{[citation needed]}

In May 2014, she was appointed Vice-Provost (International) at University College London, standing down in 2020.^{[citation needed]}

Other activities

• Iberdrola, Independent Member of the Board of Directors (since 2020)^[4]
• Weir Group, Independent Member of the Board of Directors (since 2022)^[5]

Brewer is also a member of the Trilateral Commission. From 2021 to 2022, she was a member of the Trilateral Commission’s Task Force on Global Capitalism in Transition, chaired by Carl Bildt, Kelly Grier and Takeshi Niinami.^[6]

Recognition

Brewer was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 2003 New Year Honours^[7] and Dame Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (DCMG) in the 2011 Birthday Honours.^[8] The University of Leeds awarded her an honorary Doctorate of Laws in 2009. She was appointed Chevalier, Légion d'honneur in 2022.

Personal life

Brewer is married to former diplomat Geoffrey Gillham; they have two children. Her father, Trevor Brewer, played international rugby for Wales in the 1950s.^[9]

References

1. Profile Archived 25 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine, leeds.ac.uk; accessed 14 June 2015.
2. Brewer, Dame Nicola (Mary), (Dame Nicola Gillham). 1 December 2018. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U42582. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
3. Staff. "Nicola Brewer biodata". Retrieved 14 June 2015.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
4. Board of Directors: Composition Iberdrola.
5. "Board of Directors - Weir Group | Weir".
6. Task Force on Global Capitalism in Transition Trilateral Commission.
7. "No. 56797". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 31 December 2002. p. 3.
8. "No. 59808". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 2011. p. 3.
9. Fernand, Deidre (15 April 2007). "We need a Dad's revolution". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2009.

Government offices
Preceded by Suma Chakrabarti	Director-General, Regional Programmes of the Department for International Development 2002–2004	Succeeded by Dame Nemat Shafik
Preceded by Sir Kim Darroch	Director-General, Europe of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2004–2007	Succeeded by Martin Donnelly as Director-General, Europe and Globalisation
Preceded by New position	Chief Executive of the Equality and Human Rights Commission 2007–2009	Succeeded by Neil Kinghan (interim)
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Paul Boateng	High Commissioner to South Africa 2009–2013	Succeeded by Judith Macgregor