King’s will be hosting the Spanish Ambassador to the UK for a special event focussed on the future of bilateral relations in the post-Brexit era.

José Pascual Marco Martínez became a member of the Spanish Foreign Service in 1983 and, during his diplomatic career, has undertaken postings in Pakistan, Nicaragua, Australia, Turkey and South Africa.

He was Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2003 to 2006 and deputy head of mission of the embassy of Spain to the USA from 2006-2010. He was Ambassador - deputy permanent representative of Spain to the EU from 2010 to 2015. He was appointed Ambassador to the UK in August 2021.

Mr Marco will visit the Strand campus on 29 November where he will be joined by Lisa O'Carroll, Brexit correspondent for the Guardian newspaper, and Sofia Vasilopoulou, professor of European politics at King's, for the event. Ms O'Carroll and Mr Martinez will discuss the history of the relationship between the UK and Spain, the impacts of Brexit, and the future for the two nations, with the discussion moderated by Prof Vasilopoulou.

Ahead of the event, the Ambassador will meet with Professor Shitij Kapur, President and Principal of King’s College London, and Dr Vinicius Mariano de Carvalho, Vice Dean International for the Faculty of Social Science and Public Policy.

Spain-UK Special Relations: the EU and Beyond will take place from 18.00 in the Strand building, room K3.11.

SPEAKER

Lisa O'Carroll has been a journalist for 30 years working in Ireland and the UK. She is currently Brexit correspondent at the Guardian and has covered the issue since 2016 but also covers Northern Ireland and Ireland. Lisa spent many years as a media correspondent, in the criminal courts covering phone hacking, terrorism and child sex abuse and high profile murder cases. She spent the latter half of the noughties in Ireland, missing the Celtic Tiger years but witnessing the full force of the financial crash in Ireland as a reporter and a citizen.

José Pascual Marco was born in Madrid in 1958. He holds degrees in both law and philosophy, and a diploma on international studies from the Spanish Diplomatic Academy. He became a member of the Spanish Foreign Service in 1983. During his diplomatic career, he was posted to Pakistan, Nicaragua, Australia, Turkey and South Africa. He was Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2003 to 2006 and Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Spain to the USA 2006-2010. He was Ambassador- Deputy Permanent Representative of Spain to the EU from 2010 to 2015. Mr Marco was named in 2015 director general for Cultural Policy and Cultural Industries and the Book Sector in the Spanish Ministry for Education, Culture and Sport. From 2017 to 2021 he was Director General for Coordination of EU Common Policies and General Affairs at the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation. He was appointed Ambassador of Spain to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in August 2021.