Rear Admiral Hugh Dominic Beard, CB (born 28 December 1967) is a senior Royal Navy officer. He served as Third Sea Lord from 2018 to 2020, and as Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Capability & Force Design) from 2020 to 2022.

Hugh Beard
Captain Beard in 2014
Birth nameHugh Dominic Beard [1]
Born (1967-12-28) 28 December 1967 (age 56)
Birmingham, England
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Navy
Years of service1987–2023
RankRear Admiral
Commands heldHMS Westminster
HMS Trenchant
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath
Spouse(s)Jennifer Beard[2]

Early life and education edit

Beard was born on 28 December 1967 in Birmingham, England. He was educated at St Anselm's Catholic School, a comprehensive school in Canterbury, Kent. He graduated with a Master of Arts degree in defence studies from King's College London in 2003.[1]

Naval career edit

Beard joined the Royal Navy in 1987, aged 19. He served as executive officer of HMS Vengeance from 1999 to 2002.[1] He became commanding office of the submarine HMS Trenchant in 2005, submarine scheduler at Navy Command in 2008, and Commander Submarine Sea Training in 2010. He went on to be commanding officer of the frigate HMS Westminster in 2012,[3] and Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Capability) in November 2018.[4] He served as Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Capability & Force Design) from January 2020 until late 2022.[5] He retired from the navy on 27 December 2022.[6]

Beard was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 2022 New Year Honours.[7][8]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Beard, Rear Adm. Hugh Dominic, (born 28 Dec. 1967), Assistant Chief of Naval Staff Capability, since 2018". Who's Who 2020. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2019. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U292004. ISBN 9780199540884.
  2. ^ "The crew look on as Captain Hugh Beard hugs wife Jenny on the quayside after the Type 23 frigate HMS Westminster returned to Port". Alamy. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  3. ^ "HMS Westminster Hones Her Hunter-Killer Technique with Italian Navy". Naval Today. 3 September 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  4. ^ "Senior Royal Navy appintments" (PDF). Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  5. ^ Mackie, Colin (5 December 2019). "Admirals December 2019" (PDF). gulabin.com. Colin Mackie. Retrieved 6 December 2019. Rear-Admiral Hugh D. Beard: Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Capability) November 2018 – January 2020; Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Capability and Force Design), January 2020
  6. ^ "No. 63960". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 February 2023. p. 2166.
  7. ^ "No. 63571". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 2022. p. N2.
  8. ^ "The Military Division of the New Year Honours 2022". GOV.UK. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
Military offices
Preceded by Controller of the Navy
2018–2020
Succeeded by