Programme of events
Secret Intelligence and the Armed Forces Conference
09:00, 23 Oct 2009
RUSI, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2ET
Link to map:
multimap SOLD OUT: Open to all
About the event:
October 2009 will see the 100th anniversary of the Secret Service Bureau, from which developed two of the UK’s secret intelligence agencies: the Security Service (MI5) and the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS, or MI6). To mark the centenary, this conference will bring together a wide range of expert speakers to explore the relationship between secret intelligence and the military, a relationship that is a key component of the UK’s security infrastructure. Throughout their history, the Agencies’ interaction with the British Armed Forces has been important, whether in war or peace, as well as during times of minor conflict or insurgency. The relationship has largely been close and cooperative, but on occasions has experienced competitiveness and conflict, particularly in the first half of the 20th century.
The programme will begin and end with Keynote lectures by Professor Keith Jeffery, Professor of British History at Queen’s University Belfast and author of the official history of SIS to be published in 2010; and Sir David Omand, the first holder in 2002 of the post of UK Security and Intelligence Co-ordinator. A series of panel discussions, with contributions from distinguished historians and military experts, will explore all facets of the relationship between secret intelligence and the Armed Forces, including organisational issues and relations with other parts of the intelligence machinery.
Confirmed speakers and chairmen include:

- Sir Paul Lever KCMG, Former Chairman, Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), Cabinet Office
- Professor Keith Jeffery, Professor of British History, Queen’s University Belfast
- Dr Michael Herman, Oxford Intelligence Group, Nuffield College, University of Oxford
- Dr Michael Goodman, Department of War Studies, King’s College London
- Colonel John Hughes-Wilson, Associate Fellow, RUSI
- Major General (Ret) Bill Robins CB OBE, Associate Fellow, RUSI
- Dr Jim Beach, Lecturer in Military History, University of Salford
- Dr Chris Baxter, Research Fellow in Intelligence History, Queen’s University Belfast
- Dr John Gearson, Director, Centre for Defence Studies, King’s College London
- Dr Jim Storr, Independent Defence Analyst
- Brigadier David Venn, ASI Global Response
- Professor Michael Clarke, Director, RUSI
- Sir David Omand GCB, Former Security and Intelligence Co-ordinator, UK
Event manager: Sabrina Downey