Baroness Catherine Ashton served as the European Union's first high representative for foreign affairs and security policy between 2009 and 2014. On behalf of the UN Security Council, she coordinated negotiations that resulted in the nuclear programme agreement with Iran and led the Brussels Agreement discussions between Kosovo and Serbia. With their PMs she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Previously she was EU commissioner for trade, served as a minister in the Departments of Education and Constitutional Affairs and was leader of the House of Lords and president of HM Queen's Privy Council.

Baroness Ashton is distinguished fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars in Washington D.C and senior advisor to the Geneva based organisation, Humanitarian Dialogue, and author of the book And then What?. She has received many awards, most recently the Order of the Garter, bestowed by HM King in June 2023.