Vice Admiral Jerry Kyd CBE

Vice Admiral Jerry Kyd was educated at The King’s School, Macclesfield, and Southampton University. Joining the Royal Navy in 1985, his early career saw him deployed across the world’s oceans, from the Atlantic to the Gulf and Indian Ocean.

Across a 37-year career, his commands at various ranks have included the Type 23 frigate HMS MONMOUTH, the strike carrier HMS ARK ROYAL, HMS ILLUSTRIOUS in the commando carrier role, and the on-call United Kingdom Task Group, which included a COUGAR deployment to the Gulf. He has also had the privilege of being the Captain of Britannia Royal Naval College, where all Naval officers complete their initial military and leadership training. He assumed the role of Commander United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group in 2015, before taking command of HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH in May 2016.

Promoted Rear Admiral in 2018, he took Command of Maritime Forces, before being promoted Vice Admiral in 2019 and assuming command of all five fighting arms of the Royal Navy as the Fleet Commander. Shore appointments have centred on the Ministry of Defence in London, including two years as the Military Assistant and Deputy Principal Staff Officer to the Chief of Defence Staff, the Deputy Head of the Directorate of Operational Capability and as a desk officer for the Future Surface Combatant project (now Type 26 frigate). He has also instructed at the Maritime Warfare School, HMS Collingwood.

He retired from the Royal Navy in March 2022 and is honoured to have been selected to be the next Lieutenant-Governor of the Bailiwick of Jersey, starting in October 2022. Vice Admiral Kyd is a Royal Yachting Association Yachtmaster and a Member of the Royal Yacht Squadron, a Younger Brother of Trinity House, and a Distinguished Fellow of RUSI.