Air Marshal Sir Christopher Coville is a Visiting Professor with the Freeman Air and Space Institute in the School of Security Studies. Sir Christopher joined the Royal Air Force in 1964 as a Flight Cadet at the RAF College Cranwell. After flying training, he served several tours of duty as an operational Lightning and Phantom pilot in the Air Defence role. His early career included staff and command appointments, including commanding No 111 (Fighter) Squadron, a spell in the Falkland Islands in 1983 as Officer Commanding Operations Wing, and later command of RAF Coningsby. Later he held senior appointments in Command, in NATO and in the MOD.

Sir Christopher has enjoyed a successful second career in business and in the Third Sector. He is past Chairman of Westland Helicopters Ltd (2005-February 2011) and the European Aerospace Companies’ Rotorcraft Group (2004-12). From 2003-2010 he was President of the Aircrew Association. He was until 2016 Senior Defence and Security Advisor to Dell/EMC, a global ICT Company, where he has established a national reputation for his campaign to promote Cyber as a major UK commercial opportunity. He remains an associate member of the Information Assurance Advisory Council, and speaks regularly on Cyber issues. In addition, he was until August 2014 Chairman of the Forces Pension Society, and is past-President of the Regular Forces Employment Association and a Life Vice-President of the European Area of RAFA. He sits on the Councils of several civilian and service charities, and has recently embarked on a part-time career as a Guest Lecturer on cruise ships. From June 2013 to November 2017, he assumed the Chair of the British Helicopter Association, which represents the interests of all civilian helicopter operators and manufacturers. His recent appointments include: Ambassador for the Open University, Patron of the National Coastwatch Institution, Senior Defence Advisor to SecureCloud Plus, an SME with a niche position in Defence projects, and Special Advisor to Leonardo Helicopters Ltd. Passionate about the British countryside, he is Chairman of the Sherborne and District Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE), and also chairs the Dorset County CPRE Policy Group. He lectures extensively on the Major Challenges Facing Mankind in the Twenty-First Century and has recently chaired a high-level group examining Modern Deterrence and Escalation Management; the resultant paper is now with the MOD Vice Chief of the Defence Staff.

Professional/Academic Qualifications:

Graduate RAF College, Cranwell 1967

Graduate Open University Politics, Sociology and Economics 1975

Graduate Royal College of Defence Studies 1989

Fellow Royal Aeronautical Society

Fellow Chartered Institute of Personal Development