ARMY CHIEF'S MESSAGE TO BUSINESS LEADERS
Around 300 business and community leaders learned some timely secrets about leadership in turbulent times at a talk by a military expert in Norwich.
Handelsbanken and Howes Percival LLP jointly sponsored the lecture by Head of the British Army and Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Richard Dannatt.
As well as sharing his insights into the pressures of leading British Forces in conflict zones such as Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, Sir Richard gave his views on the critical success factors required for today’s leaders.
Chris Hoffman from Handelsbanken’s Norwich office, who spearheaded the event at the John Innes Centre, said it was a timely subject as well as a prestigious event.
“Organisations require great leadership and now, more than ever, we need our leaders to display real moral courage. Sir Richard is a hugely respected figure and someone who has demonstrated genuine leadership both in and out of combat.”
“Sir Richard has very strong links to Norfolk so it is particularly pleasing that he has chosen to speak here, at this time. The event provided a unique insight into the reality of leadership in many different fields and hopefully it will inspire the region’s business leaders in these challenging times.”
Biography of Sir Richard Dannatt
General Sir Richard Dannatt was commissioned into The Green Howards in 1971. He has served seven tours of duty with the 1st Battalion in Northern Ireland and also with the UN in Cyprus and for many years in Germany before he commanded the Battalion in the Airmobile role from 1989 to 1991.
From 1994 to1996 he commanded 4th Armoured Brigade again in Germany and also in Bosnia during the early days of the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement.
After heading the Defence Programme Staff during the new Labour Government’s Strategic Defence Review in 1997/98, he took command of 3rd (United Kingdom) Division in January 1999, and also served in Kosovo that year as Commander British Forces.
In 2000 he returned to Bosnia as the Deputy Commander Operations of the NATO Stabilisation Force (SFOR). From 2001 to 2002 he was the Assistant Chief of the General Staff in the Ministry of Defence before taking command of NATO's Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC). In March 2005 he took over as Commander-in-Chief Land Command, and assumed the appointment of Chief of the General Staff in August 2006.
He was awarded the Military Cross in 1973, was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1996, awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in 1999 and was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 2005 and Knight Grand Cross (GCB) in 2009.
General Sir Richard Dannatt is married with three sons and a daughter. Their permanent home is in Norfolk and he was President of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association in 2008.
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