Speakers

Richard Parkinson served in the Army from 1985-2016.  Commissioned into the Royal Corps of Transport in 1986, he served in the UK, Germany and Hong Kong and deployed on operations in the First Gulf War in 1990, Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq (3 tours).  He commanded 1 Logistic Support Regiment RLC in Germany and Iraq.  Other tours included Chief of Staff of the MOD team that developed the plan to withdraw forces from Iraq, Secretary to the Chiefs of Staff in MOD Headquarters where he worked to the Secretary of State for Defence, Permanent Under Secretary and Chief of Defence Staff. On promotion to Brigadier, he spent 3 years as Director Logistics Army, then one year as Head of Defence Support Chain Operations.  He left the Army in 2016 to assume the Senior Civil Service appointment of Head of the Commissioning & Management Organisation, when he managed the MOD's most radical transformation of its supply chain for decades and the associated £6.7bn contract for outsourced logistic and commodity procurement services. Under his leadership, the Cabinet Office's Major Projects Authority (MPA) moved the programme from a red grading to green and stated high confidence in programme delivery.  From 2019 to now he has been the Port Director and Board member of Solent Gateway Limited which operates Marchwood Port whilst supporting the MOD’s Sea Mounting Capability requirement.  He is also Head of Defence Engagement for Associated British Ports (ABP) and recently developed a partnership with the MOD that gives it much greater sea mounting capability through access to ABP’s 21 ports across the UK.