Victoria Busby OBE has been appointed the next British High Commissioner to the Malta, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has announced.
She will take up her new role in September 2025, succeeding Katherine Ward LVO OBE, who will move on to another appointment within the Diplomatic Service.
With a distinguished 19-year career in the Civil Service, Ms Busby brings a wealth of diplomatic, operational and communications experience to the post. She currently serves as Director of Protocol and Vice-Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps, a role she has held since 2020.
She also brings high government experience, having previously done a seven-year stint with No10 as Deputy Director for Events and Visits. During that period from 2012 to 2019, she played a key role in coordinating official visits and major state events, including those involving senior members of the Royal Family and foreign dignitaries.
In fact, she describes herself as the "event and summit director for the UK's biggest global moments of the past 15 years."
She was recently recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Diplomat of the Year Awards organised by Diplomat Magazine.
Her earlier roles spanned a range of government departments, including the Cabinet Office – where she was Chief Operating Officer for COP26 – the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Home Office, Ministry of Defence, and the Department for Work and Pensions.
She joined the Civil Service in 2006 following early career roles in the private sector, including Christie’s and Head London.
As British High Commissioner in Valletta, Ms Busby will represent the UK Government in Malta, a former British colony and today a close Commonwealth partner.
The High Commissioner leads the UK’s diplomatic mission, strengthening bilateral ties in areas such as defence cooperation, trade, education, climate action, and support for British nationals.
Her predecessor, Ms Ward, has served as High Commissioner to Malta since 2022, fostering strong diplomatic and cultural relations between the two countries.
Ms Busby is expected to take up her appointment following a formal handover in September.
