Sir Brian Burridge, KCB CBE - Visiting Professor Sir Brian Burridge joined the Royal Air Force at university. A maritime pilot and flying instructor, he has had a front-line command at every level in the Service. He has staff experience in senior policy posts in the MOD and spent almost 3 years as the Principal Staff Officer to the Chief of the Defence Staff. Promoted to Air Vice-Marshal (2-star) in 1998, he commanded the RAF's air defence, maritime, and search and rescue forces. He became Commandant of the Joint Services Command and Staff College in January 2000, charged with the post-graduate professional and leadership development of officers of all three Services and took the College into a Public Private Partnership at Shrivenham. He was appointed Deputy Commander-in-Chief Strike Command (3-star) in February 2002. In October 2002, he was detached to become the UK's National Contingent Commander for operations against Iraq. Operating alongside US Central Command in Qatar, he commanded the 43,000-strong UK Joint Force during deployment, the combat phase and the early weeks of the aftermath, recovering to the UK in May 2003. He was subsequently knighted in the Iraq Operational Honours List. He became Commander-in- Chief Strike Command (4-star) in July 2003 and continued to fly a range of front-line aircraft until leaving the Royal Air Force in January 2006 after 39 years. Now an industrialist, he is the Vice President Strategic Marketing at Finmeccanica UK which is the MOD’s second largest supplier. Sir Brian has a first degree in physics and MBA from the Open University Business School. He was previously a Defence Fellow at King’s College London working on the civilian control of the armed forces in emerging democracies. He chairs the Advisory Board of the Exeter University Business School and is also a visiting professor at the School of Politics and International Relations University of Reading.