Tom O'Keeffe Email and Phone Number

• Managed an elite organisation of 4500 commandos with a persistent global footprint in one of the most demanding appointments at this level of rank across UK Defence. • Chief strategist; coordinating across UK Defence, and with cross-Government departments and international partner forces, to link operational activity in support of UK strategic goals.• Routinely managed the complex risk associated with large numbers of personnel and equipment conducting extreme activity in globally dispersed, austere locations. • Commanded and led a team of 70 tri-service and multinational headquarters staff, operating at exceptionally high tempo and routinely dispersed across several countries. • Significantly refined the organisation’s structure and planning processes, focussed on better supporting the commander’s decision making, to improve forecasting and quality of outputs.• Project-managed multiple successful high profile UK military deployments, including two which were designated as the UK Defence capstone activities for 2018 / 19 respectively. • Finished top of the Royal Marine Operational Unit Command Board and selected to command 40 Commando Royal Marines, one of the UK's elite spearhead military units.

• Finished top of the Royal Marine Company Command Board.• Commanded and led a team of 90-110 elite commandos, and assets worth millions of pounds through a complex training cycle as one of the spearhead combat elements of UK Defence. • Project-managed multiple successful global deployments, including coordinating across Defence and with multinational partner forces, to support UK strategic goals.• Routinely managed the tactical operating risk associated with elite forces conducting extreme activity in multiple austere locations, demanding rigorous analysis and decisiveness under pressure.• Designed, planned and implemented a successful leadership, culture and ethos initiative aimed at improving the collective culture of the organisation, ultimately resulting in the Company being realised as the most effective in the wider Unit.• Ranked as the top Major of 79, and most effective Company Commander in 3 Commando Brigade, and selected for promotion to Lieutenant-Colonel significantly in advance of peers.

• Planned the complex transformation of an organisation of 20 000 personnel from a non-deployable, facilitation role into the UK’s lead warfighting Army Division.• Authored the UK Division’s deployed operating concept, including the processes for translating strategic and operational-level direction into tactical activity. • Planned activity, including global deployments, for a force comprising four major subordinate organisations, 20 000 personnel and hundreds of major vehicles and equipments.• Created and delivered briefings and presentations for senior executives across UK Defence.• Ranked as the top Major in the Division, despite being in a first role at that rank.

- Selected to command and lead the Royal Marine Junior Leadership training course in acting higher rank.- Direct and lead a group of ten Royal Marine Sergeants in delivering junior leadership training over a 9-week course.- Personally deliver training in tactical leadership, tactical planning, ethics and moral leadership.- Adapt and develop a key training syllabus for the Royal Marines in line with organisational guidance.- Repeatedly assess, develop and guide groups of 70-80 Royal Marine junior leaders.

- Selected as the Operations Manager for Headquarters 3 Commando Brigade during a 6-month operational tour as Headquarters Task Force Helmand in Afghanistan.- Responsible for managing the daily operations of a 6500-strong multinational, multi-agency task force spread over 2500 square kilometres.- Managing the Task Force Operations Centre, including liaison with higher multinational Headquarters and a broad range of civilian and military stakeholders.- Coordinating Task Force Incident Management, providing a link to the Task Force Commander and facilitating decision making under pressure.- Advising on tactical and operational risk, including imminent risk to life.