Laura is a determined optimist driven by the need for positive change in the world. She is committed to addressing the greatest challenges facing our planet - the climate and environmental crises. 

Laura joined ClientEarth in September 2022, after two decades in public policy, and in diplomatic roles across Africa, Asia and Europe.  

She has worked extensively on climate, environmental and sustainability issues throughout her career, and brings a deep understanding of global policy issues and international relations, alongside extensive senior leadership and partnership-building experience, all of which are critical as we expand our impact globally. 

Laura was British High Commissioner to New Zealand, and Governor of the Pitcairn Islands, from January 2018 – July 2022, and High Commissioner to Samoa from March 2018 – December 2019.  As British High Commissioner, she worked to strengthen the UK - New Zealand relationship, including through the negotiation of a standard-setting Free Trade Agreement, co-operation with New Zealand and the South Pacific during the UK’s COP26 Presidency, and work on international security. She also enhanced the UK’s relationship with New Zealand Māori:  both by acknowledging the wrongs of the past, and in building forward-looking co-operation on trade, culture and climate.  

In her role as Governor of the Pitcairn Islands she was responsible for the governance and sustainability of the Islands, and efforts to maximize the benefits of its Marine Protected Area – the fourth largest in the world. 

She has worked across the gamut of global policy issues, while living and working in Berlin, Brussels, London, South Africa and New Zealand.  She gets her energy from other people, and in building relationships and collaborations to drive the change we need to see.   

During her career as a diplomat she was Head of the South Asia Department in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and Government Coordinator for India;  Political Counsellor in Pretoria, South Africa; Chief of Staff to the Minister for Europe; and worked on Sudan, Yemen and EU Justice and Home Affairs.  Her early career was spent in the British Parliament, as Group Co-ordinator of the All-Party Parliamentary Sustainable Waste Group, and in DG Enlargement of the European Commission.    

Laura holds an MA in German and Russian from Cambridge University and a MSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics. She is married with three children. 

I couldn’t be happier to be leading such a pioneering and effective organisation at this critical time for our planet, working with our brilliant teams to effect the systemic change needed to tackle climate change and protect nature and biodiversity.

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