Henry Hogger was born 9 Nov 1948, the son of Rear-Admiral Henry Charles Hogger, CB, DSC and Ethel Mary Hogger. He was educated at Winchester College and Trinity Hall, University of Cambridge (MA Hons), and in 1972 married Fiona Jane McNabb, having two sons and two daughters.

Hogger joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1969, and his diplomatic career included the following: MECAS, Lebanon, 1971-72; served Aden, 1972; Caracas [Venezuela], 1972-75; Kuwait, 1975-78; FCO, 1978-82; Head of Chancery, Abu Dhabi [United Arab Emirates], 1982-86; FCO, 1986-89; Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission, Amman [Jordan], 1989-92; High Commissioner, Namibia, 1992-96; Head, Latin America, later Latin America and Caribbean Department, FCO, 1996-2000; Ambassador to Syria, 2000-03; Governorate Co-ordinator for Basra, Coalition Provisional Authority, Iraq, 2003-04 (on secondment).