David Pepper
Encyclopedia
Sir David Pepper KCMG (born 8 February 1948) was the director of the British
intelligence agency
GCHQ
from 2003 to 2008.
from St John's College
, Oxford
. He joined GCHQ in 1972, and worked in intelligence operations. In 1995 he became Director of Administration. In 1998, he transferred to the Home Office
, returning to Cheltenham in 2000 as Director of Finance, and taking over the role of Director in April 2003 as successor to Sir Francis Richards. He was knighted as a KCMG in 2005. He was succeeded by Iain Lobban in July 2008. Following his retirement from GCHQ, Pepper became a non-executive director of Gloucestershire
County Council.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
intelligence agency
Intelligence agency
An intelligence agency is a governmental agency that is devoted to information gathering for purposes of national security and defence. Means of information gathering may include espionage, communication interception, cryptanalysis, cooperation with other institutions, and evaluation of public...
GCHQ
Government Communications Headquarters
The Government Communications Headquarters is a British intelligence agency responsible for providing signals intelligence and information assurance to the UK government and armed forces...
from 2003 to 2008.
Career
Pepper gained a doctorate in theoretical physicsTheoretical physics
Theoretical physics is a branch of physics which employs mathematical models and abstractions of physics to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena...
from St John's College
St John's College, Oxford
__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...
, Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. He joined GCHQ in 1972, and worked in intelligence operations. In 1995 he became Director of Administration. In 1998, he transferred to the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
, returning to Cheltenham in 2000 as Director of Finance, and taking over the role of Director in April 2003 as successor to Sir Francis Richards. He was knighted as a KCMG in 2005. He was succeeded by Iain Lobban in July 2008. Following his retirement from GCHQ, Pepper became a non-executive director of Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
County Council.