Tom spent his early career with The Rifles on operations in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan, and in operational and strategy posts at the Permanent Joint Headquarters and Ministry of Defence. This included extensive counter-terrorism and intelligence experience, working with other government departments and foreign partners.

For the past 10 years he has focused on how the Army and Defence can make better use of data and digital technology, whether in its traditional supporting role, or employed as a weapon in its own right. This has included command at Brigade and Divisional level and as Director Strategy & Military Digitisation, where he crafted Defence’s Digital Strategy based on creation of a Digital Backbone connecting sensors to effectors via decision-makers. He also founded both the Digital Foundry and Defence Artificial Intelligence Centre.

Tom’s last role in uniform was Deputy Commander of UK Strategic Command, now Cyber & Specialist Operations Command. There he delivered the Multi Domain Integration programme, oversaw creation of the Cyber & Electromagnetic Force, integrated Defence’s diplomacy network with its overseas bases, and reimagined the recruitment and retention of Defence’s cyber and digital workforce. In this context he has become a champion for the beneficial role of eSports and serious games across the Defence enterprise.

Tom is also Colonel Commandant of The Rifles and Honorary Colonel of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, amongst a wide range of extra-curricular and sporting roles.