By Andrea Shalal
WASHINGTON, Jan 23 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has appointed his top business adviser, Varun Chandra, as a new special envoy to the U.S., with a focus on trade and private sector investment, two sources familiar with the matter said on Friday.
The move comes amid tensions between Britain and the U.S. over President Donald Trump's pursuit of Greenland, his comments on NATO troops staying off the front line in Afghanistan, and his Board of Peace initiative.
Chandra
will work closely with veteran diplomat Christian Turner, who was named last month to replace the former ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson. Mandelson was fired in September over supportive emails he sent to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Chandra, who had also interviewed for the top diplomatic spot in Washington, will be based in Britain, traveling back and forth to the U.S., the sources said. Turner is expected to arrive in the U.S. next week, one of the sources said.
The appointment formalises the role Chandra has already been playing as a key liaison with top U.S. officials, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, the source said.
He played a key role in facilitating more than $10 billion in economic deals announced during U.S. President Donald Trump's state visit to Britain in September.
Lutnick posted a photograph with Chandra on his X account a month ago, saying, "Always great to be with Varun Chandra. He is an excellent representative of Great Britain and a trusted friend. Our partnership is deep and the future looks bright."
Chandra joined Starmer's government in July 2024 after a decade with Hakluyt & Co, a global strategic advisory firm, and has close ties to U.S. business leaders, including JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, the source said.
The news of Chandra's appointment was first reported by Bloomberg earlier on Friday.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Sharon Singleton)
