Ric Todd

Ric Todd
High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Cyprus
In office 2014–2016
Preceded by	Matthew Kidd
Succeeded by	Matthew Kidd
Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands
In office 2011[1] – 2013
Premier	Rufus Ewing
Preceded by	Gordon Wetherell
Succeeded by	Peter Beckingham
Personal details
Born	29 August 1959 Crawley, West Sussex, England, United Kingdom
Alma mater	Worcester College, Oxford

Damian Roderic Todd (born 29 August 1959) is a career British diplomat who has served as Ambassador to Slovakia, Ambassador to Poland, Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands and High Commissioner to Cyprus.

Personal and Career

Todd attended Lawrence Sheriff School, Rugby, then studied History at Worcester College, Oxford, and entered the Diplomatic Service in 1980. His diplomatic postings included:^[2]

• 1981–1984 British diplomat in South Africa in Cape Town and Pretoria
• 1985–1987 Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), European Department
• 1987–1989 British Embassay in Prague, Czechoslovakia
• 1989–1991 FCO, Economic Relations Department
• 1991–1995 British Consulate in Bonn, Germany
• 1995–1997 HM Treasury and head of 2 EU policy departments
• 1997–1998 FCO, Deputy Head of Economic Relations Department
• 1998–2001 HM Treasury and head of 2 EU policy departments
• 1999–2001 British representative on the European Union Economic Policy Committee
• 2001–2004 British Ambassador to Slovak Republic
• 2004–2007 FCO, Finance Director
• 2007–2011 Ambassador to Republic of Poland
• 2010–2011 Regional Director for FCO Central Europe Network
• 2011–2013 Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands
• 2014–2016 High Commissioner to Republic of Cyprus

In 2016 Todd left his post in Cyprus for personal reasons. He was replaced by Matthew Kidd who had preceded Todd as High Commissioner.^[3]

Criticism

Many Turks Islanders, including the Turks and Caicos Islands Conservation Society, criticized Todd's environmental record. While acting as Governor of Turks and Caicos, Ric Todd unilaterally amended a long-standing provision in Turks and Caicos law that prohibited the importation (and non-natural exploitation) of marine mammals in Turks and Caicos. Despite the United Kingdom's ban on performing captive animals, Todd's amendment specifically allows for the importation and use of marine mammals for the purpose of "display, exhibition and performance" – the principal marine mammal this may be targeted towards is a likely dolphin attraction.^[4]

References

1. "New governor says U.K. committed to 2012 elections," fptci.com, 12 September 2011, accessed 10 December 2012.
2. TODD, Damian Roderic, (Ric), Who's Who 2016, A & C Black, 2016 (online edition, Oxford University Press, 2015)
3. Ric Todd steps down as British High Commissioner in Cyprus, Famagusta Gazette, 6 June 2016
4. Narine, Vanessa (2012). "Petition To Stop Dolphin Attraction Gains Momentum". Turks & Caicos Weekly News. Retrieved 16 November 2012.