Brian Fall was born 13 December 1937, the son of John William Fall, of Hull, Yorkshire, and Edith Juliette (née Proetel). He was educated at St Paul’s School, Magdalen College, University of Oxford, and University of Michigan Law School. In 1962 he married Delmar Alexandra Roos, having three daughters.

After his National Service, 1955-57, Fall joined the Foreign (now Diplomatic) Service in 1962, and his career included the following posts: served in Foreign Office United Nations Department, 1963; Moscow [Soviet Union], 1965; Geneva [Switzerland], 1968; Civil Service College, 1970; FO Eastern European and Soviet Department and Western Organisations Department, 1971; New York [United States], 1975; Harvard University Center for International Affairs, 1976; Counsellor, Moscow, 1977-79; Head of Energy, Science and Space Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1979-80; Head of Eastern European and Soviet Department, FCO, 1980-81; Principal Private Secretary to Foreign Secretary, 1981-84; Director, Cabinet, Secretary-General of NATO, 1984-86; Assistant Under-Secretary of State (Defence), FCO, 1986-88; Minister, Washington, 1988-89; High Commissioner to Canada, 1989-92; Ambassador to Russian Federation, and to Republics of Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Turkmenistan, 1992-95, also to Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, 1992-93; Principal, Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, 1995-2002; British Government Special Representative for the South Caucasus, 2002-12.