Before taking up his current position at the OPCW in April 2006, Mr Freeman served as the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Switzerland (2004-2006) and Ambassador of the United Kingdom for Multilateral Arms Control and Disarmament (2005-2006), Minister and Deputy Permanent Representative on the North Atlantic Council (2001-2004), and Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations in Vienna (1997-2001). In earlier appointments with the United Kingdom’s Diplomatic Service, he served in Stockholm, Berlin and Singapore, as well as holding positions in the United Kingdom’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (dealing with South Africa, Central and Eastern Europe and international security) and in the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence (covering a wide range of defence issues and serving as Private Secretary to successive Armed Forces Ministers).

Mr Freeman held Visiting and Associate Fellowships at the Centre of International Studies at Cambridge University from 2001-2004. He has authored a number of books and articles on arms control and related issues of international security.

Ambassador Freeman is married with two children.