Former director of Central Intelligence Agency and US military leader conferred honorary role at world's oldest defence and security think tank.

The Council of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI) is delighted to name General (Retd) David H Petraeus as Senior Vice President.

This honorary role was created by RUSI's trustees and advisory council in recognition of General Petraeus' long association with the Institute and his distinguished contribution to the study and development of defence and international security concepts, as well as his implementation of those concepts in operations in the Balkans, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Earlier this year, General Petraeus was conferred RUSI's Chesney Gold Medal for his lifetime service to the field of security studies and operations.

Welcoming the appointment, Professor Michael Clarke, RUSI Director General: 'It is wonderful to have David Petraeus with us as our first and only Senior Vice President. His experience in security and defence, both in thinking about it and in operations, is unparalleled. His advice to us and the guidance he has already offered to our research programmes has been extraordinarily helpful. To have him perform this role for the Institute is a unique bonus to our research on current issues of global concern and a great vote of confidence in RUSI's international stature and its bright future.'

In accepting the new role, General Petraeus said:   'I have enjoyed a wonderful, intellectually stimulating relationship with RUSI for over twenty-five years, and I am thus very grateful to the Institute for this new opportunity to further that relationship as RUSI continues its important contributions to a host of on-going debates about defence and security issues.'

General Petraeus has dedicated his life to public service. He served for thirty seven years in the US military, including as commander of coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, and as commander of the US Central Command. Following retirement from the military in August 2011, he served as the Director of the CIA until November 2012.

The President of the Royal United Services Institute is H R H the Duke of Kent. The RUSI Council is comprised of distinguished leaders from the worlds of defence, security, business and diplomacy. It is chaired by Lord Hutton of Furness. Click here to see full list.