Donald Bell Sole spent most of his professional career working for the South African diplomatic service from 1938-1982. He held various diplomatic positions in Europe and the USA. They included: South African ambassador in Austria, Germany, Washington and New York in USA. He also worked as a counsellor and deputy director general for the Department of Foreign Affairs in Pretoria as well as being on Board of Directors of big South African companies, like SASOL and Atomic Energy Board in Pretoria. He became the Citizen of Johannesburg, 1982-1988. Donald Sole was also a chairman of the South African Institute of International Affairs in Cape Town, 1986-1987 & 1996.