Vijay Rangarajan

Dr Francis Vijay Rangarajan CMG (born 22 September 1969) is the Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission. His appointment was announced on 30 January 2024, and he took up the post at the beginning of March 2024. He previously served as the British Ambassador to Brazil from May 2017 to August 2020.

Early life and education Rangarajan was born in New Delhi, India to L.N. Rangarajan, an Indian diplomat from Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, who translated the Arthashastra, and Joyce Millward, a British singer from Bolton, Lancashire, who featured in the 1963 premiere of Our Man in Havana.

He was educated at Cranbrook School and Selwyn College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a BA (Hons) degree in natural sciences in 1990, a Masters degree in maths, and a PhD in Astrophysics in 1995.

He worked in the Ministry of Justice and Cabinet Office on political and constitutional reform of the UK: running elections, Parliament and the development of devolution in the UK. This involved establishing the UK Supreme Court and the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, and the reform of electoral registration.

He then set up the FCO’s Multilateral Policy Directorate, responsible for the UN, Council of Europe, Commonwealth, OSCE, and work on international human rights and conflict issues. He also negotiated major changes to the European Convention on Human Rights.

He was Europe Director, responsible for work on the UK EU referendum, associated negotiations, and wider EU policy such as on energy, social security and foreign policy.

From May 2017 to August 2020 he was the British Ambassador to Brazil. , and a Trustee of Sightsavers since July 2026.

Awards and honours He was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 2015 Birthday Honours.