Vicki Treadell

Vicki Treadell is a former senior British diplomat whose career spanned several high-profile positions over forty years. She was the first female ethnic minority career diplomat to become a High Commissioner and the first woman to head the UK's missions in Mumbai, Wellington and Kuala Lumpur.  Such milestones have shaped Vicki's passion for inclusion, gender equality and female empowerment. Most recently, Vicki served as British High Commissioner to Australia, strengthening UK–Australia ties through major security, trade, and climate initiatives. During the 2020 COVID pandemic, she also helped secure the return of over 60,000 stranded British nationals. These experiences shaped her belief in compassion and courage as essential leadership qualities, key themes she brings into her keynote speaking. She also offers expert geo-strategic, political, and economic insights, drawing on her extensive Indo-Pacific experience.

In 2002, Vicki was the Director of International Trade for the North West of England, where she drove trade and investment for the region. From there, she became the British Deputy High Commissioner in Mumbai, India, where she played a key role in securing Indian investment into the UK, most notably facilitating Tata Motors' acquisition of Jaguar Land Rover in 2008. Vicki also led the UK’s response during the 2008 Indian Terrorist attacks and was responsible for looking after British nationals and supporting Indian authorities during the crisis. In 2010, Vicki became the British High Commissioner to New Zealand and Samoa as well as the Governor of Pitcairn. Shortly after, she served as the British High Commissioner to Malaysia, where she advocated for the 'Global Britain' strategy, and reassured Malaysian businesses that the UK's departure from the EU would not weaken its commitment to the region. 

Alongside her diplomatic roles, Vicki has been a Member of the Royal Victorian Order since 1989 and a Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George since 2010. In recognition of her impact and dedication, she received the Public Sector Award at the UK’s prestigious Asian Women of Achievement Awards. She was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of Reading in 2016 and an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of Nottingham in 2019. Since retiring from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in 2025, she has remained active in senior advisory and advocacy roles. In 2025, she became Vice Chair of The Women of the Future Programme and Chair of its advisory board, leading strategy and governance to support high-achieving young women across business, media, and public service. She also serves as an Ambassador for The HALO Trust, advocating for humanitarian mine clearance, supporting conflict-affected communities in the Indo-Pacific and championing the empowerment of women.

As an accomplished strategic communicator and inspirational keynote speaker, Vicki draws on her experience building strong, lasting relationships and working at the highest levels of government, business, academia, and across civil society. Vicki is regularly hired to speak at conferences and recently spoke at the Women of the Future Programme Summit, speaking about loss, grief, and the power of being given a second chance. Available to hire for a range of events, Vicki is a fantastic speaker for leadership conferences, corporate events, academic forums, and programmes focused on resilience, personal growth, and women’s empowerment.