Stuart Skeates CB CBE
Biography
Stuart Skeates, appointed Director General for Strategic Operations on April 18, 2023, served in the Army for 34 years, retiring as a lieutenant general.
Educated at the Judd School Tonbridge, King’s College London, and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, he was commissioned into the Royal Regiment of Artillery in 1988. During his career, he served in various locations, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Northern Ireland, the Balkans, Cyprus, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
He has extensive leadership experience on military operations and spent the latter stages of his career in joint operations, with various coalitions, with the US Marine Corps and with NATO. He was also Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
He holds degrees from the Cranfield Management School, completed the advanced and higher command and staff courses, and the Major Projects Leadership Academy.
He has worked on small boats and illegal migration since January 2022, previously serving the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster before joining the Home Office in October 2022.
Stuart is married with two grown-up children and enjoys activities such as playing football, exploring the woods, and cycling.
He supports Manchester United.
Director General, Strategic Operations
The Direct General leads operations required to implement the government’s flagship Illegal Migration Bill and works with other Home Office directors general to ensure that operational action on irregular migration is effectively co-ordinated. The DG is a member of the Home Office Executive Committee (ExCo).