David Gillett is a Royal Navy officer with over 15 years operational experience across the globe in the Surface Flotilla and Fleet Air Arm. He is a qualified Principal Warfare Officer and Lynx helicopter observer, and has commanded twice at sea, including in HMS CLYDE in the South Atlantic, which included the rescue of 250 survivors from the stricken cruise ship MV Boreal. Serving in both Carrier Strike and Joint Force battle staffs he established the N3 organisation in the Carrier Strike Group staff and led the crisis response team for Op RUMAN disaster relief in the Caribbean.

Following a successful operational career, he pivoted to procurement joining the Develop Directorate in 2019 to establish the newly enlarged Carrier Strike & Aviation team and lead the delivery of a UAV urgent capability requirement. Thereafter, as ASW Spearhead Programme Director from 2021 he has overseen a significant growth in this demanding transformation programme and a pivot to autonomy. He is a Durham engineering graduate, alumnus of Defence’s Advanced Command and Staff Course, and recently completed the Project Leadership Programme at Cranfield University.