Emma Wade-Smith OBE is His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for North America and HM Consul General New York, having arrived in New York in November 2021.

Prior to this appointment, she spent nearly six years leading the UK Government’s pan-African regional trade and investment team, as Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Africa.

Before moving into the world of trade and investment, Emma worked at the British Embassy in Washington D.C. as the UK’s Counsellor for Foreign and Security Policy.
This came on the back of a two year stint (2009-2011) heading up the UK Government’s International Crisis Response Team. She was awarded an OBE by Her Majesty The Queen for her work helping British Nationals to safety from hot spots all around the world.

Emma has had a distinguished career as a British Diplomat spanning more than two decades, with postings to Mexico and Chile as well as secondments to the United Nations in New York; the European Commission in Brussels; and the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills where she worked on international trade.

Emma is married to John; speaks reasonably fluent Spanish; is a Seahawks fan; and attempts to play golf every once in a while.