[1] Following retirement from his diplomatic career, he has been active writing books, promoting relations between the United Kingdom and Latin America, lecturing on cruise ships and volunteering with the Samaritans.

[5] As British Ambassador to Brazil for 4 years and 7 months, he supervised five posts:[5] the Embassy in Brasília; Consulates-General in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Recife; and a Trade Office in Porto Alegre.

During his period of office, he pressed forward in Brazil with a major UK government effort to strengthen relations with the world's large emerging economies and with Latin America.

UK and Brazil agreed to a Strategic Partnership, with annual meetings led by foreign ministers to review and boost bilateral relations.

Prince (now King) Charles made his first major overseas visit with (now Queen) Camilla Parker Bowles to Brazil in 2009; they stayed at his official diplomatic residence.

In 2014 he founded the UK-Brazil Conversa, a forum for discussion under the Chatham House Rule for business people, public policy makers, educationalists and others with the aim of making more of the synergies between the two countries in these interconnected fields.