Sir Nigel Elton Sheinwald GCMG (born 26 June 1953) is a former senior British diplomat, who served as Ambassador to the United States of America between October 2007 and January 2012.

[2] Sheinwald was born in London, England, and educated at Harrow County School for Boys and Balliol College, Oxford.

From 1983-87, he worked in the political section of the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. From 1987-89 he was Deputy Head of the Foreign Office's Policy Planning Staff.

[citation needed] Sheinwald was Foreign Office Press Secretary from 1995–98 and Europe Director from 1998 to 2000, before serving as the UK Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the European Union from 2000 to 2003.

He made a critical breakthrough in the standoff during a call with the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani.