Having served in the Royal Artillery in 1950 and 1951, he went up to Merton College, Oxford where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Literae humaniores in 1955.

Wright was deputy political resident in Bahrain in 1971 and 1972, head of Middle East Department in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 1972 to 1974, and private secretary (overseas affairs) to two prime ministers, Harold Wilson and James Callaghan from 1974 to 1977.

For the next five years he combined the roles of PUS at the FCO and head of HM Diplomatic Service until he retired in 1991.

[6] Lord Wright was a director of Barclays from 1991 until 1996, of BP until 2001, of De La Rue until 2000, of Unilever until 1999 and of BAA until 1998.

From 1991 to 2001, he was a Governor of Wellington College, from 1991 to 1995 Registrar of the Most Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem, and Director of Overseas Relations from 1995 to 1997.