Defence Secretary has confirmed that His Majesty
The King has approved the new appointment of the Vice Chief of
the Defence Staff.
General Dame Sharon Nesmith DCB ADC Gen is to be appointed as
Vice Chief of the Defence Staff and Aide-de-Camp to His Majesty
in the rank of General, in succession to General Gwyn Jenkins CB
OBE ADC Royal Marines in June 2024.
Defence Secretary said:
I am delighted to congratulate General Dame Sharon Nesmith on her
deserved promotion and appointment as Vice Chief of the Defence
Staff.
Sharon brings extensive leadership and operational experience and
is very well suited to lead our Armed Forces as we modernise to
meet the challenges of a more dangerous world. In her
distinguished career to date, Sharon has led the Army as the
Deputy Chief, deployed on operations around the world, supported
our recruitment efforts and Commanded in the Allied Rapid
Reaction Corps. I look forward to continuing to work with her.
I would also like to recognise General Gwyn's service as Vice
Chief for the past two years as he takes up his new role as
National Security Advisor – with leaders like Gwyn and Sharon,
our country's security is in safe hands.
Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin
said:
I am very pleased to welcome General Sharon Nesmith as the next
Vice Chief of the Defence Staff. An outstanding officer with an
exemplary record of operational service combined with strategic
leadership, Sharon brings a powerful mix of a moderniser and
pragmatist.
Her comfort with delivering big capital programmes, increasing
lethality and productivity, and embracing technology and looking
after our people, are just some of the attributes she will bring
and are necessary as we respond to the global security
challenges. I look forward to working with General Sharon and
enhancing further the UK's standing with our allies and our
nation's security and prosperity.
General Dame Sharon Nesmith said:
I am very honoured to have been selected for the role of Vice
Chief of the Defence Staff, especially during a period of such
significant global instability. I am very excited to start in my
role, with an amazing team of Civil Servants, Regular and
Reservist Service Personnel around me.
A biography of General Dame Sharon Nesmith can be found here.
