Sir Andrew Wood was a member of the British Diplomatic Service between 1961 and 2000. Three periods in Moscow (as Ambassador 1995-2000) and two in Belgrade (as Ambassador 1985-1989) gave lessons in the fragility of federal structures, as did two postings to Washington, where the US Civil War has not been forgotten. He has acted on behalf of a number of commercial organisations with interests in Russia and other former Soviet countries following his retirement from the FCO, and has been an Associate Fellow with the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House over the past decade.