Andy Kyte is a career logistician with over 35 years’ service including operational tours in Northern Ireland, the Arabian Gulf and Afghanistan. Recent 1* appointments include Head of Defence Logistic Operations and Command of the High Readiness Joint Force Logistic HQ, deploying to Oman for SAIF SAREEA 3.  He assumed the 2* role of Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Support Operations) in November 2018. Responsible for the provision of strategic level policy, planning and direction in support of current and contingent operations, his tenure was dominated by the support challenges created by BREXIT, COVID and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He recently conducted a study for CDS focused on Increasing Defence Outputs and is currently undertaking a sabbatical (including industrial placements and secondments across Defence, including the US DoD) before assuming the post of Chief of Defence Logistics and Support in September on promotion to Vice Admiral.

A graduate of the Higher Command and Staff Course and the London Business School, he is President of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Surfing Association, is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and is the Armed Forces Jewish Faith Champion. He was appointed a Companion of the Bath in 2020 for his contribution to Defence’s response to the COVID pandemic.