David Snoxell was a member of HM Diplomatic Service, 1969–2004. He worked in the UK Missions to the UN in New York and Geneva on decolonisation, human rights, humanitarian affairs, and refugees. He was Deputy Commissioner of BIOT, 1995–7, Ambassador to Senegal, Mali, Guinea, Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde 1997–2000, and High Commissioner to Mauritius, 2000–04. After retiring he was appointed Coordinator of the Chagos Islands (BIOT) All-party Parliamentary Group, in the UK Parliament when it was established in 2008.