Iain Lobban
Encyclopedia
Iain Robert Lobban, CB
is the Director of British
intelligence gathering facility GCHQ, having succeeded Sir David Pepper
in July 2008.
in languages and has also undertaken the Higher Command and Staff Course
at the Ministry of Defence's
staff college at Shrivenham
. He joined GCHQ in 1983, progressing through a variety of roles before joining the GCHQ Board in 2001. Whilst on the Board he was responsible for moving the operations of GCHQ into its new base at Benhall, Gloucestershire
. Prior to being appointed Director, Lobban was Director-General (Operations); having taken up this post in early 2004. He became Director in July 2008. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath
(CB) in the New Year Honours 2006
for services to national security in the United Kingdom
.
. He is also interested in cricket
, photography
, travel
and music
.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
is the Director of British
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 gathering facility GCHQ, having succeeded Sir David Pepper
David Pepper
Sir David Pepper KCMG was the director of the British intelligence agency GCHQ from 2003 to 2008.-Career:Pepper gained a doctorate in theoretical physics from St John's College, Oxford. He joined GCHQ in 1972, and worked in intelligence operations. In 1995 he became Director of Administration...
in July 2008.
Education and career
Lobban graduated from Leeds University with a Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in languages and has also undertaken the Higher Command and Staff Course
Higher Command and Staff Course
The Higher Command and Staff Course is a staff course for senior military officers of the United Kingdom armed forces and allies. It is taught at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom in Shrivenham, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom....
at the Ministry of Defence's
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....
staff college at Shrivenham
Shrivenham
Shrivenham is a large village and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England, close to the boundary with Wiltshire. It is in the Vale of White Horse, between Swindon and Faringdon. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire.-Character:Shrivenham features many...
. He joined GCHQ in 1983, progressing through a variety of roles before joining the GCHQ Board in 2001. Whilst on the Board he was responsible for moving the operations of GCHQ into its new base at Benhall, Gloucestershire
Benhall, Gloucestershire
Benhall is a small district within the town of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. It lies south-west of the town centre, just south of the main road to Gloucester, and north of the district of Up Hatherley...
. Prior to being appointed Director, Lobban was Director-General (Operations); having taken up this post in early 2004. He became Director in July 2008. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(CB) in the New Year Honours 2006
New Year Honours 2006
The New Year Honours 2006 for the Commonwealth realms were announced on 31 December 2005, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 2006....
for services to national security in the United Kingdom
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...
.
Personal life
Lobban is married and a supporter of Everton F.C.Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
. He is also interested in cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
, travel
Travel
Travel is the movement of people or objects between relatively distant geographical locations. 'Travel' can also include relatively short stays between successive movements.-Etymology:...
and music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
.