Career
He was the United Kingdom"s Ambassador to Yemen from 2004 to 2007, and Ambassador to the Democratic People"s Republic of of Korea (North of Korea) from 2012 to 2015. Gifford joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1981. From 2004 until 2007 he served as the Ambassador to Yemen.
He was then the Deputy Head of Mission in Cairo.
He became the Ambassador to North of Korea in October 2012. He left that appointment in December 2015 and was succeeded by Alastair Morgan.