Richard Barrons Keynote Speaker

General Sir Richard Barrons is a strategic thinker and highly respected keynote speaker on defence, national resilience and geopolitical risk. Drawing on decades of operational leadership and advisory work, he helps audiences make sense of an increasingly contested world  and what it means for decision-making, investment and organisational preparedness.

Richard served in the UK Armed Forces from 1977–2016, progressing from artillery officer to four-star General. His career spanned coalition operations and crisis leadership across Bosnia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, including directing UK military operations as Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Operations) (2011–2013). Educated at The Queen’s College, Oxford (PPE), he is known for translating complex security realities into clear, practical insight.

From 2013–2016, he served as Commander Joint Forces Command, one of the six Chiefs of Staff leading the UK armed forces. In that role he was responsible for more than 20,000 personnel worldwide and a £4.3bn budget, coordinating capabilities that enable national security at scale.

Since 2016, Richard has advised leaders in government, industry and finance on defence transformation, digital risk and strategic leadership. He is Co-Chair of Universal Defence & Security Solutions and, from September 2025, a Senior Consulting Fellow with Chatham House’s International Security Programme. His decorations include KCB (2013), CBE (2003), two Queen’s Commendations for Valuable Service (2004, 2006), and the US Legion of Merit (Officer).

In 2024–2025, Richard was asked by the UK Prime Minister to help lead the Strategic Defence Review 2025, a landmark blueprint for adapting defence to a new era of technology-driven conflict and whole-of-society resilience. His latest book, War and Peace: The Life and Times of General Sir Richard Barrons (2024), brings that lived experience to life with the same clarity and candour he delivers on stage.