Paul is Honorary Air Commodore of 7010(VR) Int Sqn RAF and recently completed a 10-year tenure as Hon Col of 3 Military Intelligence Battalion of the Intelligence Corps.

A former Senior Civil Servant in the Ministry of Defence and Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence until May 2020, Paul brings 37 years’ experience of operating at the heart of the UK’s national security business.

An experienced intelligence analyst and Head of Profession for intelligence analysts in Defence, he has also been a customer for intelligence in jobs ranging from Principal Private Secretary to two Defence Secretaries to being the senior civilian at the Permanent Joint Headquarters, Northwood, responsible for providing the headquarters and operational military commanders with policy, legal, media and financial advice for military operations and contingency planning.

He was a member of the Joint Intelligence Committee for nearly 13 years.

In Defence, in the Cabinet Office (as Chief of the Assessments Staff), and elsewhere in Government he has briefed at meetings of the UK’s National Security Council, Cabinet and the Government’s crisis management committee, COBR, delivering strategic intelligence assessments to inform and advise the Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers and senior military and civilian personnel.

He has a degree in International Relations at Keele University and has attended the Joint Service Defence College.

Other educational landmarks in Defence include: the Defence Strategic Leadership Programme, Defence Pinnacle Course (for senior officers), at the Defence Academy, Shrivenham; Developing Strategic Leaders (Windsor Leadership Trust).

He also sponsored, and attended, the Defence Intelligence Analysis Module (the training course for all-source intelligence analysts).

 

Research interests

• The evolution and role of Defence Intelligence
• Intelligence assessment in support of policy formulation and military operations
• The use of analytical techniques in support of intelligence assessment