The Cabinet Secretary, with the approval of the Prime Minister, has announced the appointment of Adrian Bird CB as the new Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) and head of the Joint Intelligence Organisation (JIO). Adrian will replace Dame Madeleine Alessandri DCB, CMG, who is stepping down after three years in the role.
Adrian is currently Chief of Defence Intelligence at the Ministry of Defence, and has previously held senior roles in the Government Communication Headquarters. Adrian brings a wealth of experience from his current role and his career in GCHQ.
Adrian will lead a multidisciplinary team of expert officials in the JIO, providing real time security and risk assessments and advice to Ministers and the Prime Minister, and helping to develop government policies that keep the country safe and secure.
The Cabinet Secretary, Dame Antonia Romeo, said
I am delighted to announce the appointment of Adrian Bird to this crucial role at this critical time for the country. Adrian’s extensive national security experience at the MoD and GCHQ make him an excellent fit to lead the dedicated security officials in the JIO, and to provide expert advice to the Prime Minister to keep the UK safe and secure.
I would also like to thank Madeleine Alessandri for her brilliant leadership as JIC Chair over the last three years, and her contribution to the wider Civil Service leadership, and to wish her well in her retirement.
Commenting on his appointment, Adrian Bird said
It is an honour to be appointed as the new Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee. I am delighted to be joining the JIO team and to have an opportunity to lead the UK’s professional intelligence assessment community, and to work closely with our trusted partners to deal with national security challenges of today and tomorrow.
I wanted to thank Dame Madeleine Alessandri for her excellent leadership of the JIO and I know she leaves the organisation in a strong position. I look forward to building on this and working with the team to meet the future challenges. I wish Madeleine a well-deserved retirement.
Outgoing JIC Chair, Madeleine Alessandri said
The Joint intelligence Committee continues to play a vital role in the security of the United Kingdom. Amid unprecedented volatility in geopolitics and exponential advances in technology, clear-eyed assessment to reduce uncertainty for policymakers at moments of critical decision has never been more important.
It has been a privilege to chair the Committee. And it has been an honour to work with the brilliant people across the breadth of the UK national security system who enable assessments that are rigorous, impartial, and relevant to the challenges we face as a country.
I am delighted that Adrian has been chosen to take on this extraordinary role – at an extraordinary moment in our 90 year history.
Adrian will take up his new post on 3 July.
Notes for Editors
Adrian Bird is currently Chief of Defence Intelligence in the Ministry of Defence. Adrian is the first civilian to hold this MoD role, having previously been held by military personnel. His successor in the MoD will be Lieutenant-General Matthew Jones, OBE.
Adrian has been in his current role since 2022. He joined government service in 1993 and held a wide variety of positions in GCHQ and FCDO culminating in two successive GCHQ Director General posts before he moved to the MoD
Adrian has been in his current role since 2022.
The role
The Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) is responsible to the Prime Minister for supervising the work of the JIC. The post-holder also leads the Joint Intelligence Organisation (JIO) and is adviser to the Prime Minister on intelligence.
The Joint Intelligence Committee
The Joint Intelligence Committee is the cross-government committee responsible for providing Ministers and senior officials with timely intelligence assessments on critical strategic national security issues.
The Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee reports to the Cabinet Secretary.
The Joint Intelligence Organisation
The JIC is supported by the Joint Intelligence Organisation (JIO), a multi-disciplinary team of data scientists, analysts, economists and national security professionals. This dynamic and highly collaborative team is responsible for drafting all-source assessments on policy-relevant strategic issues and provides warning of threats to UK national interests.
The JIO sits at the heart of the UK intelligence assessment community and draws on the full range of reporting and expertise available across government, academia, business and international partners.