BRNC Dartmouth

Military experience

Simon Paul Williams was born in Bristol in 1960. Educated at Salisbury Cathedral School and then at Kingsbridge School, he joined the Royal Navy at 18, after which he was selected for a degree course at the City University, London.

Graduating with Honours in Systems and Management in 1983, he served as the Gunnery Officer of HMS Pollington and then navigated HMS Alfriston, both minesweepers in the Fishery Protection Squadron. He then joined the frigate HMS Minerva as Navigating Officer in 1985, before a short tour as the Executive Officer of HMS Orkney. He then qualified as a Principal Warfare Officer (PWO), sub specialising in Communications and Electronic Warfare.

He joined HMS Sheffield for the first time as a PWO and later Operations Officer which was followed by a tour in the UK's Amphibious Battlestaff and later the Sea Training Staff as an instructor. In 1997 he commanded the Hunt Class Mine Countermeasures Vessel HMS Brecon before moving, on promotion, to the Directorate of Navy Plans and Programme in the Ministry of Defence where he formed part of the team leading on the Naval element of the Strategic Defence Review. In the reorganisation of the UK's equipment planning and procurement that followed, he took the Naval lead in the defence-wide equipment capabilitystrategy cell under the Director, Equipment Plan.

Taking command of HMS Sheffield in 2001, he undertook tasks ranging from commanding UK counter narcotics operations in the Caribbean to becoming Flag Captain to NATO's Mediterranean 1* Battlestaff Commander (SNMG2) engaged in counter terrorist operations. On promotion to Captain, he joined the Naval Staff in Dec 2003 where he was responsible for Strategic Planning and Future Navy Concepts.

He took command of HMS Cornwall in Jul 05, taking her from refit to the front linewhich included major NATO Exercises and a leading role in UK/Russian Naval cooperation. He became the Deputy Director, Operational Capability in Dec 2006, working directly for Ministers and Chiefs of Staff in identifying Lessons from Operations and analysing current military capability. Before taking command of BRNC he was the Director of Naval Personnel Strategy during the Strategic Defence and Security Review.

Commodore Williams enjoys all forms of powered craft, both land and sea based, and a wide variety of sports, although participation in the latter has been somewhat curtailed by knee surgery. He is married to Charlotte, and they have two children, Thomas and Sophie.