The laid back diplomat who sings in the choir

You expect a suited, stuffy monotonous and robotic diplomat. Instead you get Christian Turner; open-collared, amusing, laid-back and with a wry charm.

(And uncharacteristically nice hair for a Brit’). And if you still aren’t convinced, you take a look at his feet, bedecked in funky boots and pink-ish socks. (That takes confidence and cool).

But then again, I caught him when he was just about to leave for Homa Bay to donate mosquito nets.

Christian Turner has worked under three British Prime Ministers at 10 Downing Street.

Prior to taking up his current position in June 2012, he was the Director for the Middle East and North Africa at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office where he had the responsibility for all UK policy in 19 countries from Morocco to Iran.

Before that, he made TV documentaries soon after his PhD.

We meet for breakfast at his Muthaiga residence and sit outside on the verandah with the backdrop of a sinfully lush, pristine garden that rolls on for eternity behind us.

Former US Ambassador to Kenya, Michael Ranneberger, is known for many things by the Fourth Estate, one that was to throw some mad parties. Don’t you want to make us forget those parties and throw some of your own, or the Brits don’t roll like that?

(Chuckles) Have you not been to my evening garden parties? See that hook? That’s for hanging a disco ball. No diplomat should ever travel without a disco ball.

When I rig the spotlight up, this place turns into a massive party where we serve vodka gazpacho. They are exclusive parties but you will certainly be invited for the next one!

We are men, we can talk about age. So how old are you?

I’m 41.

That is indeed young for the office you hold. Do you get our cocky politicians picking on you because of your age?

When I was 21, I taught at the university. I taught kids much older than me and I thought how do I deal with this; do I become friendly or do I give them rope?

But it was very clear that in the end, you just have to do what you are meant to do. People are most likely to see beyond all that when you do what you are meant to do.

Do you find your everyday diplomacy spilling over to your social life; you know, like you catching yourself weighing your words or being politically correct?

In the end, my job is to engage, understand and influence - all of which is best done with clear and transparent communication.

My current boss, the foreign secretary told me “you don’t want to say one thing in public and another off the record because you get caught out.” You want your message to be clear on and off the record.

But mine is a 24-hour day job. You might say that is Christian Turner’s view, but in the end, I’m still the British high commissioner, I’m here to deliver the policy of my government.

Does diplomacy help you in your marriage?

(Laughs aloud) If I say no, I will be undiplomatic and I’m going to get an absolute shoeing. Look, let’s put it this way; I know who the boss is in the British High Commissioner’s residence and it’s not the British High Commissioner! (Laughter in the room.)

Smooth. Are you happy, right this moment?

Yes, I am.

Why?

I have to be careful not to be glib about this one because there are some sort of pressures generated by Hollywood to be happy.

But I’m very lucky, I have a rewarding and fulfilling job that I draw value from. I have a happy marriage with two beautiful kids.

If you were to come back in another life, what would you come back as?

A professional opera singer. I sing in the choir, one of my hobbies. I sing in a small choir called the Greenwood singers. It’s a small acapella group doing early modern, Kenyan tunes.

We rehearse in each other’s homes. When I was in London, I sang in the Royal Choral Society.

There is something about singing. Look, often in my professional life I’m on the stage and I’m leading, being in a choir is about blending in. I really love that.

Talking of blending. It would be hard for a man of your statue to blend; I mean I can’t see you having a discreet sharwama at Diamond Plaza..

(Laughs) I like a bit of a sharwama…maybe just not at Diamond Plaza.

What is the most difficult part of your job?

The security threat. I mean, I just can’t walk out of my house and go have a pint. I can’t be spontaneous.

And this is not hard, but I also have to be nice to everyone all the time. Some evenings, all I really want to do is sit before a TV in my jeans and pick my nose.

Go to Business Daily for the full interview.