British Council, UK. Colm McGivern has been appointed as the British Council’s new director for Northern Ireland, where he will lead the organisation’s work across Northern Ireland, building stronger international links in education, culture and society. Colm previously served as director of British Council Ukraine at the British Embassy Kyiv. There, he spearheaded the resumption of UK public diplomacy during wartime, led major education reform partnerships, strengthened cultural and academic ties, and managed a large multinational team under extremely challenging conditions. This August, he guided the organisation through a major attack on the British Council office in Kyiv amid ongoing conflict. Colm’s previous roles include director Poland and North East Europe; director Southern Africa, and regional director UK. Colm said: “Northern Ireland punches far above its weight internationally. Our people, our creativity and our institutions have a remarkable global story to tell. I’m excited to build on that by looking firmly to the future – creating new partnerships, widening international opportunities for young people and bringing global perspectives into classrooms and communities.”