Bernard Gray
Encyclopedia
Bernard Peter Gray is a British businessman and journalist. Graduated from Oxford University. He was a special adviser to the Labour Party, based in the Ministry of Defence
. In December 2010 he was appointed to the role of Chief of Defence Materiel
in the Ministry of Defence, leading the Defence Equipment & Support
organisation. He replaces General Sir Kevin O'Donoghue
. The 4 year appointment commences on 4 January 2011.
and Chase Manhattan in London and New York.
He spent nearly 10 years as a journalist at the Financial Times
Group, including as a defence correspondent. He was recognised in the Aerospace Journalist of the Year Awards in 1996 for the Best Defence Submission.
From 1997 to 1999, Gray was special adviser to former Secretaries of State for Defence George Robertson
and Geoff Hoon
, where Gray directed the 1998 Strategic Defence Review
.
From 1999 to 2001, Gray was Strategy Director of the UK publishing and events division of United Business Media
, CMP Information. He was heavily involved in the proposed Carlton
-UBM merger. From January 2003 to July 2006, he was a non-executive director of Cable and Wireless. He was also Chairman of the Remuneration Committee from January 2003 to 31 March 2006. He has also served as non-executive director for the UK broadcaster Five.
In October 2005, Gray was appointed as Chief Executive of TSL Education Limited (publishers of the Times Educational Supplement
) when it was acquired by Exponent.
It was formally presented to Parliament in October 2009, with the MOD accepting its two main themes: a need to bring equipment plans into line with likely available resources; and a need to improve equipment programme planning, management and delivery.
Bernard Peter Gray (born 6 September 1960 at Redhill
, Surrey
, UK) is a British businessman and journalist. Graduated from Oxford University. He was a special adviser to the Labour Party, based in the Ministry of Defence
. In December 2010 he was appointed to the role of Chief of Defence Materiel
in the Ministry of Defence, leading the Defence Equipment & Support
organisation. He replaces General Sir Kevin O'Donoghue
. The 4 year appointment commences on 4 January 2011.
and Chase Manhattan in London and New York.
He spent nearly 10 years as a journalist at the Financial Times
Group, including as a defence correspondent. He was recognised in the Aerospace Journalist of the Year Awards in 1996 for the Best Defence Submission.
From 1997 to 1999, Gray was special adviser to former Secretaries of State for Defence George Robertson
and Geoff Hoon
, where Gray directed the 1998 Strategic Defence Review
.
From 1999 to 2001, Gray was Strategy Director of the UK publishing and events division of United Business Media
, CMP Information. He was heavily involved in the proposed Carlton
-UBM merger. From January 2003 to July 2006, he was a non-executive director of Cable and Wireless. He was also Chairman of the Remuneration Committee from January 2003 to 31 March 2006. He has also served as non-executive director for the UK broadcaster Five.
In October 2005, Gray was appointed as Chief Executive of TSL Education Limited (publishers of the Times Educational Supplement
) when it was acquired by Exponent.
It was formally presented to Parliament in October 2009, with the MOD accepting its two main themes: a need to bring equipment plans into line with likely available resources; and a need to improve equipment programme planning, management and delivery.
Bernard Peter Gray (born 6 September 1960 at Redhill
, Surrey
, UK) is a British businessman and journalist. Graduated from Oxford University. He was a special adviser to the Labour Party, based in the Ministry of Defence
. In December 2010 he was appointed to the role of Chief of Defence Materiel
in the Ministry of Defence, leading the Defence Equipment & Support
organisation. He replaces General Sir Kevin O'Donoghue
. The 4 year appointment commences on 4 January 2011.
and Chase Manhattan in London and New York.
He spent nearly 10 years as a journalist at the Financial Times
Group, including as a defence correspondent. He was recognised in the Aerospace Journalist of the Year Awards in 1996 for the Best Defence Submission.
From 1997 to 1999, Gray was special adviser to former Secretaries of State for Defence George Robertson
and Geoff Hoon
, where Gray directed the 1998 Strategic Defence Review
.
From 1999 to 2001, Gray was Strategy Director of the UK publishing and events division of United Business Media
, CMP Information. He was heavily involved in the proposed Carlton
-UBM merger. From January 2003 to July 2006, he was a non-executive director of Cable and Wireless. He was also Chairman of the Remuneration Committee from January 2003 to 31 March 2006. He has also served as non-executive director for the UK broadcaster Five.
In October 2005, Gray was appointed as Chief Executive of TSL Education Limited (publishers of the Times Educational Supplement
) when it was acquired by Exponent.
It was formally presented to Parliament in October 2009, with the MOD accepting its two main themes: a need to bring equipment plans into line with likely available resources; and a need to improve equipment programme planning, management and delivery.
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
. In December 2010 he was appointed to the role of Chief of Defence Materiel
Chief of Defence Materiel
The Chief of Defence Materiel is a senior post in the British armed forces created in April 2007. It merges the roles of Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief of Defence Logistics into a single post responsible for leading Defence Equipment and Support....
in the Ministry of Defence, leading the Defence Equipment & Support
Defence Equipment & Support
Defence Equipment and Support is the name of the merged procurement and support organisation within the UK Ministry of Defence. It came into being on 2 April 2007, bringing together the MoD's Defence Procurement Agency and the Defence Logistics Organisation under the leadership of General Sir...
organisation. He replaces General Sir Kevin O'Donoghue
Kevin O'Donoghue
General Sir Kevin O'Donoghue KCB, CBE is a retired British Army officer and former Chief of Defence Materiel. He retired from the service in December 2010, being succeeded as Chief of Defence Materiel by Bernard Gray.-Career:...
. The 4 year appointment commences on 4 January 2011.
Career
Gray worked for five years in investment banking and capital markets for Bankers TrustBankers Trust
Bankers Trust was an historic American banking organization. The bank merged with Alex. Brown & Sons before being acquired by Deutsche Bank in 1998.-History:A consortium of banks created Bankers Trust to perform trust company services for their clients....
and Chase Manhattan in London and New York.
He spent nearly 10 years as a journalist at the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
Group, including as a defence correspondent. He was recognised in the Aerospace Journalist of the Year Awards in 1996 for the Best Defence Submission.
From 1997 to 1999, Gray was special adviser to former Secretaries of State for Defence George Robertson
George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen
George Islay MacNeill Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen, is a British Labour Party politician who was the tenth Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, between October 1999 and early January 2004; he succeeded Javier Solana in that position...
and Geoff Hoon
Geoff Hoon
Geoffrey "Geoff" William Hoon is a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Ashfield from 1992 to 2010...
, where Gray directed the 1998 Strategic Defence Review
Strategic Defence Review
The Strategic Defence Review was a British policy document produced by the Labour Government that came to power in 1997. Then Secretary of State for Defence, George Robertson, set out the initial defence policy of the new government, with a series of key decisions designed to enhance the United...
.
From 1999 to 2001, Gray was Strategy Director of the UK publishing and events division of United Business Media
United Business Media
UBM plc is a magazine publisher, news distributor and events organiser providing business information services principally to the technology, healthcare, media, automotive and financial services industries...
, CMP Information. He was heavily involved in the proposed Carlton
Carlton Communications
Carlton Communications was a British media company. It was led by Michael Green and listed on the London Stock Exchange from 1983 until 2 February 2004, when it taken over by Granada plc to form ITV plc with Carlton gaining 32% of the new company....
-UBM merger. From January 2003 to July 2006, he was a non-executive director of Cable and Wireless. He was also Chairman of the Remuneration Committee from January 2003 to 31 March 2006. He has also served as non-executive director for the UK broadcaster Five.
In October 2005, Gray was appointed as Chief Executive of TSL Education Limited (publishers of the Times Educational Supplement
Times Educational Supplement
The Times Educational Supplement is a weekly UK publication aimed primarily at school teachers in the UK. It was first published in 1910 as a pull-out supplement in The Times newspaper. Such was its popularity that in 1914, the supplement became a separate publication selling for 1 penny.The TES...
) when it was acquired by Exponent.
Report on UK defence acquisition
In 2008, the former Defence Secretary John Hutton commissioned Gray to undertake an independent review of defence acquisition published in October 2009. Although publication was initially moved from July 2009 until after the general election - prompting The Spectator to suggest that it had been "suppressed" - the confidential report was leaked to The Sunday Telegraph in August 2009. The Times highlighted some of the more "damning" extracts from the report:- The department is running a "substantially overheated equipment programme, with too many types of equipment being ordered for too large a range of tasks at too high a specification".
- the MoD is "harming our ability ... to conduct difficult current operations".
- "The problems, and the sums of money involved, have almost lost their power to shock, so endemic is the issue."
- "It seems as though military equipment acquisition is vying in a technological race with the delivery of civilian software systems for the title of ’world’s most delayed technical solution’. Even British trains cannot compete."
- "How can it be that it takes 20 years to buy a ship, or aircraft, or tank? Why does it always seem to cost at least twice what was thought? Even worse, at the end of the wait, why does it never quite seem to do what it was supposed to?"
- "Agile enemies such as the Taleban are unlikely to wait for our sclerotic acquisition systems to catch up".
It was formally presented to Parliament in October 2009, with the MOD accepting its two main themes: a need to bring equipment plans into line with likely available resources; and a need to improve equipment programme planning, management and delivery.
External links
- Review of Acquisition for the Secretary of State for Defence: An independent report by Bernard Gray, October 2009
- MoD Website: Bernard Gray appointed Chief of Defence Materiel
- FT: Bernard Gray appointed new head of defence procurement
Bernard Peter Gray (born 6 September 1960 at Redhill
Redhill, Surrey
Redhill is a town in the borough of Reigate and Banstead, Surrey, England and is part of the London commuter belt. Redhill and the adjacent town of Reigate form a single urban area.-History:...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, UK) is a British businessman and journalist. Graduated from Oxford University. He was a special adviser to the Labour Party, based in the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
. In December 2010 he was appointed to the role of Chief of Defence Materiel
Chief of Defence Materiel
The Chief of Defence Materiel is a senior post in the British armed forces created in April 2007. It merges the roles of Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief of Defence Logistics into a single post responsible for leading Defence Equipment and Support....
in the Ministry of Defence, leading the Defence Equipment & Support
Defence Equipment & Support
Defence Equipment and Support is the name of the merged procurement and support organisation within the UK Ministry of Defence. It came into being on 2 April 2007, bringing together the MoD's Defence Procurement Agency and the Defence Logistics Organisation under the leadership of General Sir...
organisation. He replaces General Sir Kevin O'Donoghue
Kevin O'Donoghue
General Sir Kevin O'Donoghue KCB, CBE is a retired British Army officer and former Chief of Defence Materiel. He retired from the service in December 2010, being succeeded as Chief of Defence Materiel by Bernard Gray.-Career:...
. The 4 year appointment commences on 4 January 2011.
Career
Gray worked for five years in investment banking and capital markets for Bankers TrustBankers Trust
Bankers Trust was an historic American banking organization. The bank merged with Alex. Brown & Sons before being acquired by Deutsche Bank in 1998.-History:A consortium of banks created Bankers Trust to perform trust company services for their clients....
and Chase Manhattan in London and New York.
He spent nearly 10 years as a journalist at the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
Group, including as a defence correspondent. He was recognised in the Aerospace Journalist of the Year Awards in 1996 for the Best Defence Submission.
From 1997 to 1999, Gray was special adviser to former Secretaries of State for Defence George Robertson
George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen
George Islay MacNeill Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen, is a British Labour Party politician who was the tenth Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, between October 1999 and early January 2004; he succeeded Javier Solana in that position...
and Geoff Hoon
Geoff Hoon
Geoffrey "Geoff" William Hoon is a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Ashfield from 1992 to 2010...
, where Gray directed the 1998 Strategic Defence Review
Strategic Defence Review
The Strategic Defence Review was a British policy document produced by the Labour Government that came to power in 1997. Then Secretary of State for Defence, George Robertson, set out the initial defence policy of the new government, with a series of key decisions designed to enhance the United...
.
From 1999 to 2001, Gray was Strategy Director of the UK publishing and events division of United Business Media
United Business Media
UBM plc is a magazine publisher, news distributor and events organiser providing business information services principally to the technology, healthcare, media, automotive and financial services industries...
, CMP Information. He was heavily involved in the proposed Carlton
Carlton Communications
Carlton Communications was a British media company. It was led by Michael Green and listed on the London Stock Exchange from 1983 until 2 February 2004, when it taken over by Granada plc to form ITV plc with Carlton gaining 32% of the new company....
-UBM merger. From January 2003 to July 2006, he was a non-executive director of Cable and Wireless. He was also Chairman of the Remuneration Committee from January 2003 to 31 March 2006. He has also served as non-executive director for the UK broadcaster Five.
In October 2005, Gray was appointed as Chief Executive of TSL Education Limited (publishers of the Times Educational Supplement
Times Educational Supplement
The Times Educational Supplement is a weekly UK publication aimed primarily at school teachers in the UK. It was first published in 1910 as a pull-out supplement in The Times newspaper. Such was its popularity that in 1914, the supplement became a separate publication selling for 1 penny.The TES...
) when it was acquired by Exponent.
Report on UK defence acquisition
In 2008, the former Defence Secretary John Hutton commissioned Gray to undertake an independent review of defence acquisition published in October 2009. Although publication was initially moved from July 2009 until after the general election - prompting The Spectator to suggest that it had been "suppressed" - the confidential report was leaked to The Sunday Telegraph in August 2009. The Times highlighted some of the more "damning" extracts from the report:- The department is running a "substantially overheated equipment programme, with too many types of equipment being ordered for too large a range of tasks at too high a specification".
- the MoD is "harming our ability ... to conduct difficult current operations".
- "The problems, and the sums of money involved, have almost lost their power to shock, so endemic is the issue."
- "It seems as though military equipment acquisition is vying in a technological race with the delivery of civilian software systems for the title of ’world’s most delayed technical solution’. Even British trains cannot compete."
- "How can it be that it takes 20 years to buy a ship, or aircraft, or tank? Why does it always seem to cost at least twice what was thought? Even worse, at the end of the wait, why does it never quite seem to do what it was supposed to?"
- "Agile enemies such as the Taleban are unlikely to wait for our sclerotic acquisition systems to catch up".
It was formally presented to Parliament in October 2009, with the MOD accepting its two main themes: a need to bring equipment plans into line with likely available resources; and a need to improve equipment programme planning, management and delivery.
External links
- Review of Acquisition for the Secretary of State for Defence: An independent report by Bernard Gray, October 2009
- MoD Website: Bernard Gray appointed Chief of Defence Materiel
- FT: Bernard Gray appointed new head of defence procurement
Bernard Peter Gray (born 6 September 1960 at Redhill
Redhill, Surrey
Redhill is a town in the borough of Reigate and Banstead, Surrey, England and is part of the London commuter belt. Redhill and the adjacent town of Reigate form a single urban area.-History:...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, UK) is a British businessman and journalist. Graduated from Oxford University. He was a special adviser to the Labour Party, based in the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
. In December 2010 he was appointed to the role of Chief of Defence Materiel
Chief of Defence Materiel
The Chief of Defence Materiel is a senior post in the British armed forces created in April 2007. It merges the roles of Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief of Defence Logistics into a single post responsible for leading Defence Equipment and Support....
in the Ministry of Defence, leading the Defence Equipment & Support
Defence Equipment & Support
Defence Equipment and Support is the name of the merged procurement and support organisation within the UK Ministry of Defence. It came into being on 2 April 2007, bringing together the MoD's Defence Procurement Agency and the Defence Logistics Organisation under the leadership of General Sir...
organisation. He replaces General Sir Kevin O'Donoghue
Kevin O'Donoghue
General Sir Kevin O'Donoghue KCB, CBE is a retired British Army officer and former Chief of Defence Materiel. He retired from the service in December 2010, being succeeded as Chief of Defence Materiel by Bernard Gray.-Career:...
. The 4 year appointment commences on 4 January 2011.
Career
Gray worked for five years in investment banking and capital markets for Bankers TrustBankers Trust
Bankers Trust was an historic American banking organization. The bank merged with Alex. Brown & Sons before being acquired by Deutsche Bank in 1998.-History:A consortium of banks created Bankers Trust to perform trust company services for their clients....
and Chase Manhattan in London and New York.
He spent nearly 10 years as a journalist at the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
Group, including as a defence correspondent. He was recognised in the Aerospace Journalist of the Year Awards in 1996 for the Best Defence Submission.
From 1997 to 1999, Gray was special adviser to former Secretaries of State for Defence George Robertson
George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen
George Islay MacNeill Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen, is a British Labour Party politician who was the tenth Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, between October 1999 and early January 2004; he succeeded Javier Solana in that position...
and Geoff Hoon
Geoff Hoon
Geoffrey "Geoff" William Hoon is a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Ashfield from 1992 to 2010...
, where Gray directed the 1998 Strategic Defence Review
Strategic Defence Review
The Strategic Defence Review was a British policy document produced by the Labour Government that came to power in 1997. Then Secretary of State for Defence, George Robertson, set out the initial defence policy of the new government, with a series of key decisions designed to enhance the United...
.
From 1999 to 2001, Gray was Strategy Director of the UK publishing and events division of United Business Media
United Business Media
UBM plc is a magazine publisher, news distributor and events organiser providing business information services principally to the technology, healthcare, media, automotive and financial services industries...
, CMP Information. He was heavily involved in the proposed Carlton
Carlton Communications
Carlton Communications was a British media company. It was led by Michael Green and listed on the London Stock Exchange from 1983 until 2 February 2004, when it taken over by Granada plc to form ITV plc with Carlton gaining 32% of the new company....
-UBM merger. From January 2003 to July 2006, he was a non-executive director of Cable and Wireless. He was also Chairman of the Remuneration Committee from January 2003 to 31 March 2006. He has also served as non-executive director for the UK broadcaster Five.
In October 2005, Gray was appointed as Chief Executive of TSL Education Limited (publishers of the Times Educational Supplement
Times Educational Supplement
The Times Educational Supplement is a weekly UK publication aimed primarily at school teachers in the UK. It was first published in 1910 as a pull-out supplement in The Times newspaper. Such was its popularity that in 1914, the supplement became a separate publication selling for 1 penny.The TES...
) when it was acquired by Exponent.
Report on UK defence acquisition
In 2008, the former Defence Secretary John Hutton commissioned Gray to undertake an independent review of defence acquisition published in October 2009. Although publication was initially moved from July 2009 until after the general election - prompting The Spectator to suggest that it had been "suppressed" - the confidential report was leaked to The Sunday Telegraph in August 2009. The Times highlighted some of the more "damning" extracts from the report:- The department is running a "substantially overheated equipment programme, with too many types of equipment being ordered for too large a range of tasks at too high a specification".
- the MoD is "harming our ability ... to conduct difficult current operations".
- "The problems, and the sums of money involved, have almost lost their power to shock, so endemic is the issue."
- "It seems as though military equipment acquisition is vying in a technological race with the delivery of civilian software systems for the title of ’world’s most delayed technical solution’. Even British trains cannot compete."
- "How can it be that it takes 20 years to buy a ship, or aircraft, or tank? Why does it always seem to cost at least twice what was thought? Even worse, at the end of the wait, why does it never quite seem to do what it was supposed to?"
- "Agile enemies such as the Taleban are unlikely to wait for our sclerotic acquisition systems to catch up".
It was formally presented to Parliament in October 2009, with the MOD accepting its two main themes: a need to bring equipment plans into line with likely available resources; and a need to improve equipment programme planning, management and delivery.