In 1990, she underwent full-time Arabic language training courses and after two years was posted to the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

[2] In 1995, she was recalled to become the head of the Germany and Austria Section in the West Europe Department of the FCO.

[4] She was announced as the new UK Ambassador to Belarus and the successor to Fionna Gibb in June 2019, and took up her post in August.

[6] In February 2020, Perkins said she was trying to "maintain momentum" in increased international trade and does not expect any changes after Brexit.

[7] In October 2020, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab temporarily recalled Perkins amid civil unrest in Belarus triggered by allegations of electoral fraud against President Alexander Lukashenko.