Our President is Admiral the Lord West of Spithead who was First Sea Lord and Commander in Chief of the Royal Navy from 2002 until 2006 and the Commanding officer of HMS Ardent in the 1982 Falklands War. Lord West was the last to leave the sinking ship and was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) for his leadership.

Lord West served as the Under-Secretary for Security, Counter-terrorism and Police at the Home office up to the general election in May 2010. He is also the Chancellor of Southampton Solent University and a board member of the Imperial War Museum. Lord West joined the Royal Navy in 1965 and spent the majority of his career at sea, serving in fourteen different ships, and commanding three of them.

He was knighted in the Millennium New Year’s Honours List and promoted to Admiral in November 2000, when he took up his position as Commander-in-Chief Fleet, Commander-in-Chief East Atlantic, and Commander Allied Naval Forces North. He later became the professional head of the Royal Navy as First Sea Lord in September 2002.

In the 2004 New Year Honours list he was made Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath. In July 2007 he became a member of the House of Lords with the title; Admiral the Lord West of Spithead. Lord West resides in London with his wife The Lady “Rosie” West.

Lord West is a member of the House of Lords, details here.