Laura Clarke
{{Short description|British diplomat (born 1978)}}
{{about|the ClientEarth CEO||Laura Clark (disambiguation){{!}}Laura Clark}}
{{use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Laura Clarke
|honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OBE}}
|image = Laura Clarke 2018 (cropped).jpg
|alt =
|caption = Clarke in 2018
|office = Governor of Pitcairn
|monarch = Elizabeth II
|term_start = 25 January 2018{{Cite web|url=https://theodora.com/wfbcurrent/pitcairn_islands/pitcairn_islands_government.html|title=Pitcairn Islands Government 2019|website=theodora.com|language=en|access-date=2019-11-05}}
|term_end = 7 July 2022
|predecessor = Robin Shackell
|successor = Iona Thomas
|office1 = British High Commissioner to New Zealand
|monarch1 = Elizabeth II
|primeminister1 = Theresa May
Boris Johnson
|term_start1 = 25 January 2018
|term_end1 = 7 July 2022
|predecessor1 = Jonathan Sinclair
|successor1 = Iona Thomas
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|06|03|df=y}}
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|occupation = {{hlist|Diplomat|CEO}}
|alma_mater = University of Cambridge
London School of Economics[https://nz.linkedin.com/in/laura-clarke-390453b4 Laura Clarke - LinkedIn]
}}
Laura Mary Clarke {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OBE}} (born 3 June 1978) is the CEO of ClientEarth{{Cite web |title=ClientEarth announces Laura Clarke OBE as its new CEO |url=https://www.clientearth.org/latest/latest-updates/news/clientearth-announces-laura-clarke-obe-as-its-new-ceo/ |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=www.clientearth.org |language=en-US}} a global non-profit environmental law organisation. She is a former British diplomat, who served as the British High Commissioner to New Zealand, and the Governor of Pitcairn.
Biography
Clarke is the CEO of ClientEarth, having taken over from founding-CEO James Thornton.
Clarke took up her role as High Commissioner to New Zealand, and Governor of the Pitcairn Islands in January 2018. Her previous role was as the UK Government's India Co-ordinator and Head of the South Asia Department in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. While serving in these roles she was ranked as one of the most influential people in UK-India relations.{{Cite web|last=IndiaInc|date=2017|title=100 Most Influential in UK-India Relations|url=https://indiaincgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/100-Most-Influential-in-UK-India-Relations-2017.pdf|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}} Other roles included Political Counsellor in Pretoria, South Africa, Chief of Staff to the Minister for Europe, and roles in the Ministry of Justice, British Parliament and European Commission.{{Cite web|title=Ms Laura Clarke|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/laura-clarke|access-date=2019-05-08|website=www.gov.uk|language=en}}
Clarke served as non-Resident British High Commissioner to Samoa from March 2018 to December 2019, when the British Government established a Resident High Commission in Samoa.{{Cite web|last=The Asian Independent|date=26 October 2018|title=UK & Samoa – A historic relationship set to become stronger|url=https://theasianindependent.co.uk/uk-samoa-a-historic-relationship-set-to-become-stronger/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}
In her role as High Commissioner to New Zealand, Clarke placed an emphasis on strengthening relations with Māori of New Zealand.{{Cite web|last=The Guardian |date=2 January 2020|title=Here's why the UK wants to strengthen its relationship with New Zealand Māori|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jan/02/heres-why-the-uk-wants-to-strengthen-its-relationship-with-new-zealand-maori|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=TheGuardian.com}} In November 2018 the British High Commission employed its first Maori adviser and also a language teacher for Clarke.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/05/new-zealand-high-commission-to-recruit-maori-adviser-and-te-reo-teacher|title=UK high commission in New Zealand to recruit Māori adviser and te reo teacher|last=Ainge Roy|first=Eleanor|date=2018-11-05|work=The Guardian |access-date=2019-05-08|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} In October 2019 Clarke expressed regret, on behalf of the British Government, for the killing of 9 Māori during the first encounters with the crew of James Cook’s Endeavour.{{Cite web|last=The Gisborne Herald|date=3 October 2019|title=Iwi respond to British 'regret'|url=http://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/local-news/20191003/iwi-respond-to-british-regret/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}{{Cite web|last=New Zealand Herald |date=23 October 2019|title=Laura Clarke, the British diplomat who made history|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/laura-clarke-the-british-diplomat-who-made-history/D6RVGAA63TI5OCLPLAWW7ZHHXU/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}
In July 2020, Clarke launched UK-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement Negotiations alongside PM Jacinda Ardern and NZ Trade Minister David Parker.{{Cite web|last=Radio New Zealand |date=|title=NZ begins free trade talks for 'comprehensive' deal with UK|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/419218/nz-begins-free-trade-talks-for-comprehensive-deal-with-uk|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=Radio New Zealand}}
Clarke hosted the British High Commission podcast, ‘Tea with the High Commission’, with guests including Jacinda Ardern,{{Cite web|last=Tea with the High Commission|date=|title=Jacinda Ardern|url=https://ukinnz.podbean.com/?s=pm+ardern|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-11-09|website=ukinnz.podbean.com}} actor Sam Neill{{Cite web|last=Tea with the High Commission|date=|title=Sam Neill|url=https://ukinnz.podbean.com/e/sam-neill/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-11-09|website=ukinnz.podbean.com|language=en}} and comedian Eddie Izzard.{{Cite web|last=Tea with the High Commission|date=|title=Eddie Izzard|url=https://ukinnz.podbean.com/e/eddie-izzard/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-11-09|website=ukinnz.podbean.com|language=en}}
As Governor of Pitcairn, Clarke had oversight of governance and economic support for the Pitcairn Islands. She and her husband made a film of her first visit.{{Cite web|title=The Governor of Pitcairn Island Laura Clarke's first journey to the remote islands - YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTGwcjTfYaM|access-date=2020-11-09|website=www.youtube.com}}
Clarke is married to Toby Fisher, a New Zealander, and they have three children.{{cite news |last1=Harris |first1=Dominic |title=Chef hopes beer-shout offer if England beat ABs isn't a half-baked idea |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/rugby-world-cup/rwc-2019-japan/116935922/chef-hopes-beershout-offer-if-england-beat-abs-isnt-a-halfbaked-idea |access-date=26 October 2019 |work=Stuff.co.nz |date=26 October 2019}}
She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2021 New Year Honours for services to British foreign policy.{{London Gazette|issue=63218|supp=y|page=N26|date=31 December 2020}}