Jake Thackray

Experience

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  British Army

  Jan 1983 - Dec 2007

  Various roles, British Army Officer

  I served in a variety of progressively more senior roles, either in 'command' (i.e. leading force elements in peace and war) or 'staff' (i.e. policy and capability development appointments) in the UK and worldwide.Selected achievements: o Having identified the potential for failure of the MoD’s £2.4Bn ‘Bowman’ communications programme, I designed a new test and acceptance strategy, sold the concept to the commercial partner and the MoD, and took personal charge of the final Field Trial. Bowman was successfully introduced across UK Defence.o I formed and led commercially-focused bespoke teams to reflect and support the joint efforts of MOD staffs and Defence equipment manufacturers; managed capability development and integration of all UK Land Force CIS, Electronic Warfare and ECM(FP). Successfully balanced risk and budget to achieve programme coherence without sacrificing or reducing effectiveness; ensured on-time and on-budget entry into service of high-value programmes; matched delivery to other capability lines. o I commanded a NATO-assigned Communications Regiment; successfully managed introduction of new Information Systems to NATO’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps HQ, then deployed the Regiment to Iraq as CO and worked in Basra for 6 months in partnership with Electronic Data Systems Ltd to deploy Project SYNERGY – a commercial wide area network for allied forces in southern Iraq. Project successfully rolled-out prior to Regimental re-deployment, allowing for UK military communications troops to be withdrawn.o I Integrated into a deployable UK Brigade a team of 300+ deep network and applications experts, to provide specialist technical and operational support to UK Land communications systems worldwide; resolved critical configuration management issues; increased information services availability on operations by 30%. Show less

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  British Army

  Feb 2008 - Dec 2009

  Brigade Commander

  Commanded a deployable ICT/EW/SIGINT Brigade of the British Army (2000+ personnel), converting it from a worldwide Joint Rapid Response Role into an Afghanistan Campaign Support role, and overseeing all force preparation activities for subsequent deployment to Afghanistan.

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  BT

  Jan 2010 - Jun 2010

  Business Director, Client Management

  On secondment to British Telecom Global Services (BTGS) as Business Director, Client Management; enabled development of a strategic partnership with the UK Ministry of Justice (MoJ). Liaised directly with clients, providing analysis of available solutions; facilitated discussions at Ministerial level between MoJ, other judicial bodies, and BTGS.

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  United States Department of Defense

  Jun 2010 - Jun 2011

  Head, Policy, Planning and Strategy, HQ US CENTCOM

  Central Command HQ is responsible to the US President and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the conduct of all US and coalition military activity across the Middle East, Central Asia and the Levant. I was seconded to the US Armed Forces for one year to serve there as Head of Policy, Plans & Strategy.Selected achievements: o Directed, at zero notice, a cross-HQ team to manage the transition of CENTCOM Commanders; prepared new Commander (General, later SECDEF, Jim Mattis) for testimony to Congress, identified key priorities for critical first period in post; liaised with US Embassies across the Middle East to set up initial visits, and designed and executed change of command ceremony attended by 500+ US and international VVIPs and VIPs, media, and the US Secretary of Defense. o Led development of the CENTCOM Iraq Country Plan, setting out the long-term relationship between the US DoD and the Iraqi Armed Forces. This plan set the enabling conditions for the 2011 US ‘responsible drawdown’ in Iraq, allowing for the reduction in US troop presence there from 50,000 to 150. Show less

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  Defence Academy of the United Kingdom

  Jul 2011 - May 2014

  Director, Higher Command and Staff Course, Defence Academy of the UK

  The Defence Academy of the United Kingdom is responsible for postgraduate education and command, staff, leadership, defence management, acquisition and technology training for members of the UK Armed Forces and MOD civil servants. It is also the MOD’s main link with UK universities and international military educational institutions.Selected achievements: o Against a backdrop of intense stakeholder unease, led the most comprehensive review of British Professional Military Education for a decade. The new Advanced Command and Staff Course matches the UK and international partners’ emerging strategic security, defence and capability management needs, and was commended by all stakeholders as an exemplar of a consensus-building approach to major change. o Directed a ground-breaking project to deliver bespoke operational-level training packages to the heads of the Omani Navy, Army, Air Force and SOF, and their staffs, in Muscat, Oman. Led the UK delegation, delivering the key lectures personally. Significantly increased the value of the UK relationship with a key regional ally. Show less

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  NATO

  Jul 2014 - Jul 2020

  Director (CEO), BICES Group Executive

  BICES is a worldwide IT Network, operating at a classified level, linking the military intelligence communities of all NATO and other friendly nations. Providing a wide range of services, allied to a high level of ICT security, it gives these teams the ability to instantaneously share and exploit intelligence products, so contributing to operational success and saving lives.Selected achievements: o By ensuring that the system remains safe to use in a high cyber threat environment, and that it continues to represent significant value for money to its investors, overseen a doubling of the network size (now some 120K users worldwide).o By directing the development of a range of new services and information assurance capabilities on the system, enabled the adoption of BICES as the system of choice for entirely new, niche communities (e.g. cyber defence, counter-terrorist and civilian intelligence agencies). Delivered all NATO Defence and Foreign Ministerial Meetings at North Atlantic Council Level by BICES Secure VTC during the initial months of the COVID-19 crisis. o By working in close conjunction with our main commercial partner, Verizon, Inc., and rapidly identifying emerging requirements and opportunities, extended BICES use to the rapidly-expanding ISR (drone) fleets in a number of NATO nations. BICES now leads the way for NATO ISR capability development. Show less

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  K3I Limited

  Jul 2020 - now

  Director

  An independent consultancy helping organizations win defence and security business opportunities worldwide.