Nigel Phillips Explained

Honorific-Prefix:His Excellency Air Commodore
Nigel Phillips
Honorific-Suffix:CBE
Office:Governor of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
Term Start:13 August 2022
1Blankname:Chief Minister
1Namedata:Julie Thomas
Predecessor:Philip Rushbrook
Office1:Governor of the Falkland Islands
Commissioner for South Georgia and
the South Sandwich Islands
Term Start1:12 September 2017
Term End1:1 July 2022
Monarch1:Elizabeth II
1Blankname1:Chief Executive
1Namedata1:Barry Rowland
Andy Keeling
Predecessor1:Colin Roberts
Successor1:Alison Blake
Birth Date:10 May 1963
Spouse:Emma Phillips
Children:Kyrie Phillips
Alma Mater:Durham University
King's College London
Mawards:is not set -->
Allegiance:United Kingdom
Branch:Royal Air Force
Serviceyears:1984-2017
Rank:Air Commodore

Air Commodore Nigel James Phillips, (born 10 May 1963) is a British diplomat, former Royal Air Force officer and former Governor of the Falkland Islands and Commissioner of the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.[1] He has served as Governor of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha since 13 August 2022.[2]

Career

Phillips joined the Royal Air Force in 1984 and went on to serve in various appointments, rising to the rank of Air Commodore.[1] From 1993 to 1997, he attended Durham University, graduating as a Master of Business Administration and in 2001 he gained a Masters in Defence Studies, Military, political and international issues from King's College London, where he was awarded a Cormorant Fellowship.[3] He went on to join the Defence Communication Services Agency as a Senior Staff Officer. Then in 2003 he was assigned to the British Embassy in Stockholm as the Defence Attaché.[1]

In 2007 Phillips left Stockholm to become the Deputy Commandant and Garrison Commander at the Defence College of Communications and Information Systems. Two years later, in 2009, Phillips was assigned to the British Embassy in Warsaw, again as the Defence Attaché.[1] Also in 2009, he was given the Master of Signals Award by the Royal Signals Institute.[3]

Phillips undertook Russian language training at the Defence Academy in 2012 and in 2014 he was appointed Head of Russian Strategic Studies and Wider Europe Policy at the Ministry of Defence.[1] He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in the 2013 Birthday Honours[4] and in 2016 Phillips became the Deputy Military Representative to Her Majesty's Permanent Representative to the European Union in Brussels, under the Ministry of Defence.[1]

In June 2017 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office announced that Phillips had been appointed the new Governor of the Falkland Islands and Commissioner for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, succeeding Colin Roberts on 12 September 2017.[1]

In April 2022 the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office announced his appointment as Governor of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.[5]

Honours


Ribbon Description Notes
Order of the British Empire (CBE)
  • 2002
  • UK version of this medal
  • 2012
  • UK version of this medal
  • with 1 clasp

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Change of Governor of the Falklands Islands . 2017-06-30 . www.gov.uk . 2017-08-05.
  2. Web site: Arrival of new Governor of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan Da Cunha . St Helena Government Press Office . 1 July 2022 . 27 June 2022.
  3. Web site: Nigel Phillips CBE . . 2017-08-05.
  4. News: 2013-06-15 . Order of the British Empire . . 2017-08-05.
  5. Web site: Change of Governor of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha: Mr Nigel Phillips CBE . FCDO . 1 July 2022 . 4 April 2022.