Emma Kate Hopkins OBE took up her post as Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Denmark in October 2020. Prior to this she served as Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Bulgaria from 2015 to 2020. Whilst in Bulgaria she was also the senior regional lead for organised crime and rule of law projects (including modern slavery) in Central and Eastern Europe.
Emma was born in Bolton and studied at St. Clement Danes Comprehensive School (Chorleywood) and Cambridge University (Fitzwilliam College) where she graduated with a degree in Law. She was called to the Bar in 1995 and practiced as a criminal barrister until 2001 when she entered public service.
Before her appointment in Sofia, Emma led the UK government’s Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI), a campaign to end impunity for warzone rape. She was awarded the Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2014 Queen’s Birthday Honours List, for services to preventing sexual violence in conflict affected countries.
Emma’s career in government has included leading legal and policy teams at a senior level. She has worked on immigration and asylum, human rights, EU justice and home affairs, international criminal law, organised crime, as well as violence against women.
Between 2006 and 2008, she developed the first UK strategy on human trafficking and delivered it through a national and international campaign. For her work, in 2008, Emma received the Civil Servant of the Year Award for outstanding contribution to public service and in 2014 her team were given the Civil Service International Award for their work on the PSVI campaign.
Emma is married to Steven Hopkins and they have two young daughters. She enjoys travel, running, volleyball and scuba diving.