Linda Cross MBE, originally from Myreton of Claverhouse in Tealing, has recently been appointed Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Republic of Ecuador.

After being PA to the British Ambassador in Ecuador 25 years ago, Linda, whose father Gordon Guild still lives in Tealing, is returning to take up the position herself.

The ambassadorial role is not a new one to Linda, as from 2001 to 2005 she was Consul General of Great Britain in Yekaterinburg in Russia.

When Linda left Forfar Academy she went to Dundee Commercial College, where she did a secretarial course with languages.

Linda said: "When I was at Forfar Academy I started doing French in first year and, since then, I wanted to do something in a career using languages."

After joining up with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1978, her first overseas posting was in Rabat in Morocco, where she worked as a personal assistant, then in 1981 she took up the same role in Prague in the Czech Republic.

It was after this that she spent her first time in Ecuador, where she was PA to HM Ambassador for two years, followed by Paris from 1985-88 as PA to Head of Chancery, where she met her husband Mike.

In 1988 she returned to the UK, taking on an executive secretarial role in London, then joined the Embassy in Vienna in 1992.

Linda then crossed the pond to work in New York with the UK Mission to the United Nations until 1997, before going to Albania, followed by Azerbaijan.

Linda said: "In Baku, Azerbaijan, I had contacts with lots of Scottish companies with an oil connection, including Dundee and Angus Oil Venture Group.

"They came out and exhibited at the Caspian Oil and Gas Exhibition and many other Scottish companies have travelled over to similar events."

She added: "I've been involved with the British Embassy for 30 years and the shortest tour I have done was in Prague for 18 months and the longest, so far, was Yekaterinburg."

Indeed, her long service in Yekaterinburg was officially recognised when she was given the honorary title of doyen.

Her role as British Ambassador is to represent Her Majesty's Government's interests overseas.

Linda reports on the situation in the country she is assigned to, by talking to ministers and government officials in that country.

As the British Ambassador in Ecuador for example, Linda will co-ordinate information to and from overseas, such as the economic climate of the country with regard to trade and investment with British companies.

Linda is also, of course, there to provide support and information for British citizens.

She pointed out: "You may remember the bus crash in Ecuador a few weeks ago, when five young British females were killed.

"There was obviously a role for the Embassy there. The person who will be my number two, Chris Poole, was acting ambassador at that time and he took the lead in ensuring that the bodies were recovered and returned home to Britain."

With 22,000 visitors each year, Ecuador is becoming ever-more popular with British tourists. So it would appear that the British Foreign Office has pulled a trump card in its decision to select someone with the skill and experience of Linda to 'oversea' things.