Bengt Odevall

Bengt Odevall (24 January 1921 – 18 February 2006), was a Swedish diplomat. Odevall began his career in 1945 as an attaché at Sweden's Ministry for Foreign Affairs after completing his law degree at Uppsala University. Over his career, he held multiple prominent posts abroad, including in Madrid, New York City, and London, and later as consul general in Minneapolis. He was appointed ambassador to Brazil in 1970. Following his work in Brazil, he served as ambassador in Tokyo from 1975 to 1981, Seoul from 1975 to 1979, and his final post was in Bern from 1982 to 1987. In addition to his diplomatic roles, he led Swedish delegations in major international negotiations and represented Sweden in trade and arbitration, showcasing his expertise in both diplomacy and international trade.

Early life Odevall was born on 24 January 1921 in , Blekinge County, Sweden, the son of mayor Ragnar Odevall and his wife Elin (née Ohlsson). He passed studentexamen in Linköping in 1940, completed the reserve officer exam in 1942, and earned a Candidate of Law degree from Uppsala University in 1945. That same year, he was appointed as a lieutenant in the Swedish Air Force reserve. He was appointed director at the Ministry in 1963 and deputy director in 1965. After five years in Brazil, Odevall became ambassador in Tokyo in 1975 and concurrently to Seoul from 1975 to 1979. His last posting as ambassador was in Bern from 1982 to 1987. In 1981, he was a spokesperson for Sweden, Finland, and Norway at the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) multilateral textile negotiations. He also served on the board of Svenska Nestlé AB from 1987 to 1993.

Awards and decorations