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Brian Unwin

b. 1935

British civil servant and historian

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About Brian Unwin

Born 1935. Brian Unwin is a British writer, civil servant and historian.

Sir James Brian Unwin (born 21 September 1935) is a former British civil servant and an author. He was chairman of the board of HM Customs and Excise and president of the European Investment Bank. He is also an author of historical non-fiction.

Education and career James Brian Unwin studied at New College, Oxford and Yale University.

He joined the British Civil Service in 1960, initially working for the Commonwealth Relations Office. From 1968 he was at HM Treasury, seconded from 1981 to 1987 to the Cabinet Office. There he eventually held the post of Deputy Secretary. He was chairman of the board of HM Customs and Excise (1987–1993) and became president of the European Investment Bank in 1993, a position which he held until his retirement in 1999.

He has served as president of the European Centre for Nature Conservation and as a member of the board of directors of English National Opera.

Authorship Unwin has published two works of historical non-fiction, both dealing with the Napoleonic era: Terrible Exile: The Last Days of Napoleon on St Helena (2010), which was shortlisted for the Fondation Napoléon History Prize, and A Tale in Two Cities: Fanny Burney and Adèle, Comtesse de Boigne (2014). On 5 June 1990, he was promoted to Knight Commander of the same Order (KCB) with the 1990 Birthday Honours.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
New College, Yale University, New College, Oxford, Yale
Employers
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, HM Treasury, European Investment Bank, Cabinet Office
Also known as
Sir Brian Unwin, James Brian Unwin, Sir James Brian Unwin

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Brian Unwin's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Brian Unwin?

British civil servant and historian

When was Brian Unwin born?

Brian Unwin was born on 21 September 1935 in Chesterfield.

What is Brian Unwin's occupation?

Brian Unwin is a writer, civil servant and historian.

What nationality is Brian Unwin?

Brian Unwin is British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Brian Unwin

· Wikidata: Q18164593

· DBpedia: Brian Unwin

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Brian Unwin. https://biography.guide/brian-unwin/

MLA: "Brian Unwin." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/brian-unwin/.

Chicago: "Brian Unwin." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/brian-unwin/.

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