Sherard Cowper-Coles was born on 8 January 1955, son of Sherard Hamilton Cowper-Coles and Dorothy (née Short). He was educated at Freston Lodge School, New Beacon School and Tonbridge School, then studied at Hertford College, University of Oxford (MA; Honorary Fellow, 2002). In 1982, he married Bridget Mary Elliott, having four sons and one daughter.

Cowper-Coles joined the Diplomatic Service in 1977, and his career included the following posts: Third, later Second, Secretary, Cairo [Egypt], 1980-83; First Secretary, Planning Staff, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1983-85; Private Secretary to Permanent Under-Secretary of State, 1985-87; First Secretary, Washington [United States], 1987-91; Assistant Head, Security Policy Department, FCO, 1991-93; Resident Associate, IISS (International Institute for Strategic Studies), 1993-94; Head, Hong Kong Department, FCO, 1994-97; Counsellor (Political) Paris [France], 1997-99; Principal Private Secretary to Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, 1999-2001; Ambassador to: Israel, 2001-03; Saudi Arabia, 2003-07; Afghanistan, 2007-09; Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 2009-10.