David Spedding
UK chief of intelligence service (1943–2001)
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Sir David Rolland Spedding KCMG CVO OBE (7 March 1943 – 13 June 2001) was Chief of the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) from 1994 to 1999.
Sir David Spedding | |
|---|---|
| 12th Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service | |
| In office 1989–1994 | |
| Preceded by | Colin McColl |
| Succeeded by | Richard Dearlove |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 March 1943 |
| Died | 13 June 2001 (aged 58) |
| Spouse | Gillian Kinnear |
| Children | Two sons |
| Education | Sherborne School |
| Alma mater | Hertford College, Oxford |
| Occupation | Intelligence officer |
| Awards | KCMG, CVO, OBE |
Early life
David Spedding was the son of a Border Regiment lieutenant colonel,[1][2] and grew up in the middle class.[3] He was initially educated at Sherborne School, then read history at Hertford College, Oxford.[4]
Career
Spedding joined the Secret Intelligence Service in 1967,[4] while a postgraduate student at Oxford.[2] He then attended the Middle East Center for Arabic Studies in Beirut, becoming a specialist on Middle East affairs.[4] He also served in Santiago and Abu Dhabi.[5]
In 1971 Spedding was named as the local SIS station commander in Lebanon, and was later posted to Abu Dhabi in 1977.[2] Following his Middle East Directorate appointment in 1983, he was made the Amman Jordan station head,[2] and was subsequently commended in that position for uncovering an Abu Nidal plan to assassinate the Queen during an upcoming Jordan visit.[6] For this he was made Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.[6]
In 1993, Spedding became Director of Requirements and Operations. In 1994 he became Chief of the Service,[4] becoming the first chief to have never served in the armed forces, and the youngest to have held the position to that date.[7] During his tenure the SIS faced some degree of negative publicity due to unauthorized disclosures in the wake of Richard Tomlinson's dismissal.[8]
Spedding died of lung cancer on 13 June 2001, aged 58.[4]
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