Paul Johnston

Paul Johnston (born 29 May 1968) is a former British diplomat who was Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ireland from 2020 to 2025. He was appointed Director General of Irish Universities Association in August 2025.

Early life Paul Charles Johnston was born on 29 May 1968 to Charles Johnston and Muriel Johnston (née Hall).

Charles Johnston worked for Woolworth's. Muriel Johnston worked for a trade union and is active in the Galashiels Opera.

Johnston was educated at St Margaret's Primary School and then the Galashiels Academy in Galashiels, Scotland. At Galashiels Johnston studied French, German, and Spanish and described the efforts of his languages teacher as a possible inspiration for joining the Foreign Office.

Johnston described negotiating on behalf of the European Union on the language on the responsibility to protect, adopted by the UN World Summit in 2005, as a personal highlight of his career.

Johnston was appointed the British Ambassador to Sweden from August 2011 to August 2015.

In December 2020, Johnston published an open letter describing the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement as a "good deal for the UK and the EU, and in particular for the UK and Ireland".

On 5 March 2021, the Irish Times published a letter from Johnston, setting out the rationale for the decision of the British government to unilaterally extend the grace period for post-Brexit checks on some goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain.

In March 2021, Johnston revealed that Ireland was "high up" on the list of countries to receive surplus COVID-19 vaccines once British vaccination targets were met.

In June 2025, the Irish Times reported that Johnston was to leave the diplomatic service after his posting ended in September of that year, but would remain in Ireland, although he was not yet able to disclose what role he would take up, as it was "subject to a UK government approval process".

Post Ambassadorial Career In August 2025, the Irish Universities Association appointed Johnston as Director General. This role is due to commence in November 2025

Personal life Johnston married Nicola Carol Maskell in 2004. Johnston walks recreationally.