Matthew Prouten

• Managed a team of 9 staff addressing welfare needs of British nationals in Indonesia. The highest performing Team in Asia Pacific Consular based on customer feedback.
• Monitoring of regional events and ensured timely updates to FCDO HQ for travel advice updates used by ABTA and Ministers.
• Maintained confidentiality of sensitive information while upholding professional standards at all times.
• Visited British Nationals in Prison, hospital and Police custody.
• Worked with sufferers of mental ill health and Indonesian medical authorities to secure safe return to the UK in the absence of travel insurance.
• Introduced training throughout the Embassy and my team to assist victims of rape and sexual assault in line with Foreign Secretary priorities.
• Navigated complex diplomatic challenges to successfully facilitate the return of British detainees in Bali who were facing the death penalty.

Leading and developing a team of 7 staff covering Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Maldives. Delivering highly praised Consular assistance to victims of crime, suicide, RSA and domestic violence across the region.

Consular lead for crises across the region including leading the response to the Holey Bakery attack in Dhaka and the Easter bombings in Colombo. Working across government to facilitate help to Bangladesh and Sri Lankan authorities and to the affected British families.

Lead for C19 repatriations from across my region and ran the most successful operation in South Asia with our Bangladesh repatriation flights.

Ran the renewables and nuclear for UK Trade and Industry (UKTI) in Japan turning it into the most successful team in UKTI Japan.

Liaison with British companies seeking opportunities in these markets in Japan. Facilitating trade missions and meetings for British companies.

Lead for the Fukushima reconstruction projects, matching UK nuclear expertise to Tokyo electric (owners of Fukushima nuclear power plant).

Consular lead on Rapid Deployment Team for March 11 Japanese Tsunami visiting Iwate and Fukushima prefectures to evacuate affected British Nationals.

Entry Clearance Manager for UK Visas and Immigration (at that time UK Border Agency),

Leading the Public interface with applicants, overseeing face to face interviews and queries.

Head of Appeals department working with the UK Home Office and Immigration and Tribunal Service to respond timely to reviews and Judicial reviews, to provide timely feedback to Presenting Officers and Judges on fraudulent immigration applications.

Head of Visa section for my final 8 months in Delhi managing 32 UK staff and 125 Indian staff. Working to tight published timelines for visa processing and answering Ministerial questions on the visa operation in India.

Managing the VFS outsourcing contract for North India. Liaison and troubleshooting with VFS Global. Holding VFs to account for contract breaches and imposition of financial penalties where appropriate.

Head of call-centre for British Nationals during the Mumbai shootings at the Taj hotel. Speaking directly to British nationals trapped in the Tak hotel and advising them of updates from the Indian special forces teams,

Vice Consul in Tokyo managing a 5 person team delivering high quality services to British nationals in Japan.

Protection of British Nationals in Japan, hospital visits, prison visits, lead for Japan's accession to the Hague convention (for return of victims of parental child abduction to the country of habitual residence).

Lead on Prison Transfer agreement implementation between the UK and Japan. Facilitated 12 successful transfers to the UK from Japanese prisons to the UK.

Organised the first Hague convention conference ever in Japan.

Full time language student and University of Westminster and FCO language school in Kamakura, Japan.

Lead for liaison with Irish Government on Sellafield emissions into the Irish Sea, representing the UK at International meetings on UK Nuclear shipments.

Liaison across Whitehall Ministries on issues arising from shipments of spent nuclear fuel for reprocessing at Sellafield.

Briefing Ministers on shipment dates and routes and any sensitivities arising from the chosen routes .

Third secretary in charge of Police and Military Intelligence liaison.

Working with EU partners via the 'know how fund' to provide specialist anti-smuggling training for Lithuanian customs and border guards.

Monitoring corruption in Lithuanian agencies including immigration so as to safeguard UK borders.

Lead for liaison with Japanese Police, Cabinet Office and Public Security Investigation Agency. Covering police to police links, domestic terrorism (Japan) and North Korean presence in Japan.

In charge of liaison with the Japanese Police on the Aum Shinrikyo sarin attack on the Tokyo subway system.

Awarded MBE for work gathering information for Porton Down on the first ever domestic use of Sarin. Information which was used for the benefit of British and American troops in preparation for Operation Desert Storm.

Joined FCO, Induction, job shadowing and preliminary Japanese language training.