A FORMER British ambassador has been appointed in a leading role at a Hampshire university.

The University of Winchester has appointed Richard Wilkinson CVO as the new chair of the Board of Governors.

His previous work at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office included posts as Ambassador to Venezuela and to Chile as well as Director for the Americas and Overseas Territories.

Mr Wilkinson, a Winchester resident of 20 years, has been a governor at the university for the last three years and has been vice chairman since last year.

He takes over from Roger Witcomb, who has just taken up his post as the new Chair of the Competition Commission.

A Cambridge graduate with a first class degree in Classics, Mr Wilkinson undertook postgraduate studies at the Institute of Oriental Languages in Paris before holding a research fellowship at London University.

He later became a visiting professor in History at the University of Michigan, in the USA.

He joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) fast stream in 1972 and served in senior posts in Europe, Latin America and London, but left in 2005.

He was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 1991 in recognition of his service at the British Embassy in Paris.

He joined the Modern Languages Department at Winchester College, but recently stood down after five years as Head of Spanish.

Professor Liz Stuart, Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the University of Winchester said they were delighted to have such a distinguished figure in the role.

“Dick has great commitment to the institution and enormous perspicacity,” she said.

“He becomes Chair at a time of change and uncertainty in higher education but we are confident that he will steer us safely through any choppy waters.”