Rt Hon Lord Andrew Parker

The Rt Hon Lord Andrew Parker has served in two of the most sensitive, respected, and complex leadership roles in British Public Life: MI5, and the Royal Household.

A 30+ year career at MI5 saw him rise up the ranks, which included him working as their Counter Terrorism Director, before being named Deputy Director General, and then Director General for seven years. His time in charge was marked by a focus on operational excellence, modernizing MI5’s working methods, and developing closer domestic and international relationships.

After this, he was appointed Lord Chamberlain, non-executive Chair, and de facto head of The Royal Household.

In 2019, he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath; appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order upon appointment as Lord Chamberlain; and was made a member of the Privy Council.

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Business & Finance Creativity, Change & Innovation Diversity Equality, Diversity & Inclusion High Performance Law, Crime & Security Leadership & Teamwork Personal Development Politics & Current Affairs Resilience Speaker

More About Rt Hon Lord Andrew Parker

Joining MI5 in 1983, The Rt Hon Lord Andrew Parker worked as Director of Intelligence (1999), then Director of International Terrorism at the Security Service (2005) – where he led their response to the 7/7 London bombings, before being appointed Deputy Director General in 2007, and Director General in 2013. He led them through crises and pressures, whilst consistently strengthening the service’s mission-based drive, founded on shared values and goals. His time in charge saw him emphasising trust, honesty, accountability, and integrity, placing collaboration over individual agendas.

After working for the MI5 for over three decades, he joined the Royal Household as Lord Chamberlain, a role that has a 600-year history. As the Sovereign’s most senior official, he balanced respecting an institution steeped in tradition, while making it suitable for the modern world and wider society.

In the job, he oversaw the household’s delivery of historical events, including the funerals of Prince Phillip and Queen Elizabeth II, the accession of King Charles III, and the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. He also led the household through the COVID-19 restrictions and steered it into a new era with new priorities.

He stepped down from the role in November 2024.

Away from his work at the MI5 and Royal Household, he is a non-executive director at the engineering company Babcock International, and is a member of the advisory board of data security company Telicent. He is also a visiting professor at Northumbria University, and a Distinguished Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute.

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Andrew believes that showing exemplary leadership and adherence to core values on a daily basis is the best way to prepare for a crisis and navigate any future difficulties. Through his keynote talks, he reflects on the necessity of building excellent teams, and how leaders need to leave their ego at the door; the necessity of understanding diversity, and the respect for difference that releases true value of mixed teams.