2011- Current: 2nd PUS at MOD, responsible for: ensuring delivery of Defence Board and Chiefs of Staff Committee decisions; managing co-ordination of implementation and monitoring progress (with VCDS); the Top Level Budget (TLB) for the Central TLB (jointly managed with VCDS); defining and delivering requirements for corporate support services; MOD governance and business process; Information, and assurance; Health Safety and Sustainability; Board level champion of MOD Police; Defence Estates and Legal services.
2008-2011: Director General Security Policy (formerly Policy Director), MoD’s principal adviser on the defence contribution to HMG security policy, shaping the international environment and (jointly with DCDS(Commitments)) for delivery of the politico-military aspects of operational strategy.
2007-2008: Director General Operational Policy, responsible for formulating, coordinating, advising Ministers and giving direction on all aspects of policy relating to Afghanistan, Iraq, other current military operation, and counter terrorism.
2007: Head of the MOD Streamlining Project working directly to the Permanent Secretary on the MOD’s response to the Cabinet Office Capability Review.
2004-07: Command Secretary Fleet, working to Commander-in-Chief Fleet as Senior Finance Officer and Senior Civilian Adviser, managing a £2.2billion operating budget, and helping to drive through the merger of the Fleet and Naval Home Commands.
2001-03: Seconded to NATO as Director of the Secretary General’s Private Office, responsible directly to Lord Robertson for advice and support on all aspects of NATO policy, operations and administration.
2000-01: Seconded to the Cabinet Office as Chief of the Joint Intelligence Committee Assessments Staff.
1999-2000: Sabbatical as Weatherhead Fellow in International Relations at Harvard University, with a primary focus on US-European relations.
1997-99: Director of Defence Policy responsible for coordinating the Strategic Defence Review, developing its policy framework and leading its public presentation.
1995-97: Deputy Command Secretary Land, responsible for managing the Army’s £3billion operating budget.
1992-95: Seconded to NATO to lead the International Staff team running collective force planning. Introduced the Partnership for Peace Planning and Review Process, and set up NATO’s crisis management arrangements for the Balkans.
1988-92: Seconded to the FCO as First Secretary Europe in the UK Delegation to NATO. Helped draft and negotiate NATO’s Strategic Concept and represented UK interests in European fora such as WEU, IEPG and EUROGROUP.
1979-88: Policy and operations posts in MOD including Assistant Private Secretary to the Armed Forces Minister and the Naval Operations secretariat during the Falklands War.
Awarded a CBE in 1998 for contribution to the Strategic Defence Review.
Joined the MOD as a graduate entrant in 1979. Prior to that, worked as a solicitor’s articled clerk. Educated at Marling School, Stroud and Nottingham University, graduating in 1976 with an LLB(Hons).
Married to Sandra with one daughter, Catherine. Interests include walking, theatre, cricket, history (first book published in 2007) and unsuitably juvenile loud music.