Sir Ivor was born in 1946 in Liverpool and read Modern Languages at Keble College, Oxford. He was in Her Majesty’s Diplomatic Service between 1968-2006, served in Lebanon, Paris, Luxembourg, Canberra, Vanuatu (formerly New Hebrides), and was Minister in the British Embassy in Madrid and Ambassador in Belgrade, Dublin and Rome. From January 1998 to February 1999 he was on a sabbatical as a Senior Associate Member of St. Antony's College, Oxford, writing and lecturing on his experiences in Yugoslavia.

  Sir Ivor speaks fluent Italian, French and Spanish and passable Serbo-Croat. His hobbies include Italian opera, theatre, photography and sport (skiing, golf and tennis). He was for many years a rugby referee. Sir Ivor is an Honorary Fellow of Keble College Oxford, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Linguists (FCIL), a Patron of the Venice in Peril Fund and Chairman of the Council of the British School of Archaeology and Fine Art in Rome. He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (KCMG) in 2000. He retired from the Diplomatic Service in September 2006 on his election as the President of Trinity College.

  In 2009, he published as editor and major contributor the first new edition for 30 years of the classic reference book on diplomacy 'Satow's Diplomatic Practice' (Oxford University Press).

(Current as of October 2011)