[1] He studied philosophy, politics and economics at Mansfield College, Oxford, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1982.

[2] He was subsequently admitted to the Degree of Master of Arts (MA), and became an Honorary Fellow of Mansfield College in 2022.

[1] He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1991 Birthday Honours,[4] and went on to command the Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Regiment.

[1] He commanded 4th Armoured Brigade in Iraq (Basra and Maysan Governorates) and Germany (Osnabrück and Münster) from January 2005.

[15] Amongst other roles, he is a Mentor for the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL)[16] at Saïd Business School, and an External Member of the Council of the University of Oxford.