Adrian Nance

Commodore Adrian Nance OBE is a former Royal Navy officer and founder of several startup companies, as well as an international charity called "Wings Like Eagles" which provides disaster relief in Africa.

Early life Nance was educated at Eltham College and graduated from Birmingham University with a BSc in chemical engineering in 1976.

Naval career

Nance started his long association with naval operations and military aviation in 1978, achieving the rank of commodore by the end of his time in the navy. He survived the sinking of HMS Sheffield (D80) in the Falklands Conflict in 1982. HMS Sheffield was part of the task force sent to the Falkland Islands during the Falklands War. She was struck by an Exocet air-launched anti-ship missile from a Super Etendard aircraft belonging to the Argentine Navy on 4 May 1982 and foundered on 10 May 1982. Nance was awarded the South Atlantic Medal in 1982. He was twice the senior anti-air warfare officer for all British naval forces in the Tanker war, From 2004 to 2006, Nance was based at the Royal Navy Maritime Warfare School based in HMS Collingwood, training commanding officers and 20,000 other naval personnel per year. and also coordinated the disaster response air group with the UN, which peaked at 23 aircraft. Nance's charity also helped provide aid after cyclone Eloise hit the East coast of Africa in 2021. Nance also founded a helicopter company which owns a Bell Jet Ranger helicopter, based in South Africa, which aids in disaster relief and humanitarian work for the local area.

In 2012, Nance and his wife, Barbara, opened the refurbished Sea Survival Training Centre in Portsmouth.