Michael Blanch

{{Short description|British diplomat}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|honorific-prefix = The Reverend Dr.

|name = Michael Blanch

|honorific-suffix = TD

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|office = Chief Executive of the Falkland Islands

|term_start = 12 September 2007

|term_end = 3 January 2008

|monarch = Elizabeth II

|governor = Alan Huckle

|predecessor = Chris Simpkins

|successor = Tim Thorogood

|term_start2 = January 2000

|term_end2 = March 2003

|monarch2 = Elizabeth II

|governor2 = Howard Pearce

|predecessor2 = Andrew Gurr

|successor2 = Chris Simpkins

|birth_date = {{birth year and age|1946}}

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|nationality = British

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Michael Dennis Blanch TD (born c. 1946) is a British local government officer who served as Chief Executive of the Falkland Islands from January 2000 to March 2003, and again as interim Chief Executive from 12 September 2007 to 3 January 2008.

Blanch studied economics at university, gaining a PhD in 1975, and was a member of the Territorial Army for 26 years. In 1991, he became Chief Executive of Eastbourne Borough Council before moving to become Bromley LBC's Chief Executive in 1995.{{cite news |title=Bromley Lbc's Chief Exec Appointed To Head Falklands Government |url=http://www.lgcplus.com/lgc-news/bromley-lbcs-chief-exec-appointed-to-head-falklands-government/1407109.article |newspaper=Local Government Chronicle |date=16 September 1999 |access-date=16 January 2011}}

In 1999, Blanch was selected to be Chief Executive of the Falkland Islands by the Islands' Executive Council, taking office in January 2000. He left office in 2003 but returned to the Falklands in 2007 to service as interim Chief Executive for three months following the sudden resignation of Chris Simpkins.{{cite news |title= New Role For Former Falklands Chief Exec |author= J. Brock |url=http://www.falklandnews.com/public/story.cfm?get=5422&source=2 |newspaper=Falkland Islands News Network |date=1 July 2009 |access-date=16 January 2011}}

Blanch was ordained at Ripon Cathedral in 2009, and served as Assistant Curate of Askrigg and Stalling Busk in the Yorkshire Dales. In 2014 he became Vicar of Hampden Park Eastbourne and in 2017 Vicar of Isfield in East Sussex.