A native of West Midlands, England, Wood was educated in the county, and graduated from the University of Cambridge in 1981, in which year he entered the FCO.

Wood undertook Chinese language training through the FCO in 1982–84, and has worked variously in Hong Kong and in the British missions in Guangzhou and Beijing.

(Hons) in Modern and Medieval Languages from Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge,[1] where he studied French and German.

[1] Wood joined the FCO right after his graduation in 1981,[3] working initially as Desk Officer[1] and Third Secretary in the Western European Department.

[4] From 1992 to 1998, Wood worked in the Department of the Environment (subsequently the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions), where his roles included head of the European Community Branch, head of the International Air Pollution Branch,[4] and Private Secretary to the Ministers of State (1995–1998).