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The president of the United States, Donald Trump, has today appointed a new ambassador to Spain and Andorra, Duke Buchan III, a Wall Street executive who was a donor for Trump's White House campaign, studied in Valencia and Seville, and who also speaks Catalan.

Buchan, 54, is the founder and CEO of Hunter Global Investors, a venture capital firm with investments in real estate, among other businesses. The firm is based in Palm Beach, where Trump's private club and mansion, Mar-a-Lago, is also located.

Having grown up on a farm in North Carolina, Buchan also owns agricultural and horse-breeding businesses. He received a bachelor's degree in Economics and Spanish at the University of North Carolina, and participated in a study programme abroad where he enrolled at the University of Seville and the University of Valencia. He later studied business at Harvard University.

The White House reported that Buchan speaks Catalan, which will be useful for his work in Catalonia and Andorra, where he will also be ambassador. His nomination must now pass the approval process of the Senate.

Although initially supporting Jeb Bush as candidate for the White House, Buchan was one of the first to bet on Trump. He donated $898,000 to the campaign of the tycoon.

According to the newspaper, The New York Times, Buchan accompanied Trump in multiple campaign events and at the three presidential debates. On the day of the inauguration, he was also present when Trump took the oath of office on Capitol Hill.