At its meeting yesterday, on the recommendation of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Council of Ministers appointed María Teresa Lizaranzu Perinat as the new Ambassador of Spain to Ireland.
She holds a degree in Law from the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) and a master’s degree in EU Law from the Free University of Brussels (Université libre de Bruxelles). She entered the Diplomatic Service in 1997.
Her European postings include service as Ambassador of Spain to Bosnia and Herzegovina (2021–2024), as Counsellor at Spain’s Permanent Representation to the European Union, and at the Embassies of Spain in Germany and Finland.
At the central departments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, she served as Deputy Director-General for the Maghreb and Deputy Assistant Director-General for the Middle East, having previously worked in the Office of the Undersecretary and in the Directorate-General for Justice and Home Affairs.
She served as Deputy Consul in Jerusalem.
In the cultural sphere, she was Director-General for Cultural Policy and Industries and Chair of the state-owned entity Acción Cultural Española (2012–2015). As Spain’s Permanent Delegate to UNESCO (2015–2018), she chaired the Finance and Administrative Commission of the Executive Board and served as Vice-Chair of the APX (Finance) Commission of the General Conference, heading the Spanish delegation to the World Heritage Committee. Since September 2025, she has been working in the Directorate for Cultural and Scientific Relations of AECID, coordinating cultural projects.
