Phil Osborn

Most recently in his military career, Phil Osborn was the UK’s Chief of Defence Intelligence until the end of 2018, and as such was at the heart of national security decision making. He was responsible for the provision of high-grade political and military intelligence to UK Defence and Government, as well as leading UK Defence cyber capability. Previously, he served as an operational fast jet navigator, squadron and station commander, and deployed operational commander, and he led one of the two operational Royal Air Force Groups, as well as co-ordinating all operational and support activities for the Royal Air Force. Between operational tours, he directed many of the key UK Defence capability programmes, including Combat Air, Information and Digital, Special Forces and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance.

Today, within a portfolio of Board-level, senior advisory and charity roles, he is a Director with Universal Defence and Security Solutions, a unique UK Defence and Security consultancy, with responsibility for air, space and digital. He is also a senior advisor to both Lockheed Martin UK and DXC Technology, a non-Executive Director with Inzpire, and Chair of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust.

His focus remains raising awareness of today’s more dangerous global context, the consequent need for pragmatic but urgent transformation of Defence and Security, underpinned by the incorporation of new digital technologies. He is also a frequent media commentator on geo-politics and national security.