Sir Kevin Tebbit KCB CMG

Sir Kevin Tebbit was Permanent Secretary at the UK Ministry of Defence from 1998 to 2005, following a short period as Director of GCHQ.

After serving initially with the Ministry of Defence, in 1979 he joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. His diplomatic postings overseas were: First Secretary, UK Delegation to NATO; Head of Chancery, British Embassy Ankara; Director of Cabinet to the NATO Secretary General, Lord Carrington; and Counsellor at the British Embassy in Washington DC. Subsequent FCO home appointments were as head of Economic Relations Department, Director of Resources, and Deputy Under Secretary for Defence and Intelligence.

Since leaving Government service Sir Kevin has been engaged in business, academia and advisory roles. Current positions include: Senior Vice President for Corporate Affairs at Smiths Group Plc (having served previously on the Smiths Board for 12 years as a Non-Executive Director); Chairmanship of RISC (the UK security industries trades association); Visiting Professor at King’s College London; and Distinguished Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute.