John Grant was born 17 October 1954, the son of Douglas Marr Kelso Grant and Audrey Stevenson Grant (née Law). He was educated at Edinburgh Academy and St Catharine’s College, University of Cambridge (BA 1976), and in 1983 married Anna Maria Lindvall, having one son and two daughters.

Grant joined the Diplomatic Service in 1976, and his diplomatic career included: West African Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1976; Stockholm, 1977–80; Russian language training, 1980–81; Moscow [Soviet Union], 1982–84; Morgan Grenfell and Company Limited, 1985–86; Press Office, FCO, 1986–89; UK Permanent Representation to EU, 1989–93 (Press Spokesman, later External Relations) and 1994–97 (Counsellor, External Relations); European Secretariat, Cabinet Office, 1993–94; Principal Private Secretary to Foreign Secretary [Robin Cook], 1997–99; Ambassador to Sweden, 1999–2003; UK Permanent Representative to EU, Brussels, 2003–07.