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Sir Mark Stanhope
As the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, Mark Stanhope is the Royal Navy’s professional head and Chairman of the Navy Board. He is responsible to the Secretary of State for the fighting effe...view moreAs the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, Mark Stanhope is the Royal Navy’s professional head and Chairman of the Navy Board. He is responsible to the Secretary of State for the fighting effectiveness, efficiency and morale of the Naval Service, and as a member of the Defence Council supports the Secretary of State in the management and direction of the Armed Forces through prerogative and statutory powers. As a member of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and Armed Forces Committee, he advises CDS on maritime aspects of all operations and the underlying strategy and policy. He is also the Top Level Budget holder for the Naval Sector and advises the Permanent Under Secretary on resource allocation and budgetary planning in the light of defence policy and naval priorities.
Joining the Royal Navy in 1970, Mark Stanhope’s career has included command of submarines and surface ships as well as broad experience in Whitehall and the NATO Alliance. During the Cold War he commanded the conventional submarine HMS Orpheus (1981–1983) and the nuclear powered submarine HMS Splendid (1986–1989). His final sea command was the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious.
In between sea appointments he has worked in the Ministry of Defence for the Naval Staff and as a personal staff officer to the Chief of Defence staff (1994–1996), followed by a short secondment to the Cabinet Office. His initial NATO assignment was in the Regional Headquarters of Allied Forces North, in Holland. Following this he served as the Deputy Commander-in- Chief Fleet before returning to NATO, this time in Norfolk, Virginia, as the Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Transformation. His most recent appointment as Commander-in-Chief Fleet combined both his operational and alliance experience exercising full command over all deployable Fleet units, including the Royal Marines, while also holding the post of Allied Maritime Component Commander at Northwood.
Awarded the OBE in 1990, he was knighted in 2004 and further honoured in 2010 with a GCB and is a recipient of the US Legion of Merit (Officer).view less