Richard Ibbotson

Vice Admiral Sir Richard Jeffrey Ibbotson, (born 27 June 1954 ) is a former Royal Navy officer who served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief Fleet.

Naval career Educated at Durham University, Ibbotson joined the Royal Navy in 1975 and specialized in underwater warfare. He was promoted to lieutenant on 1 September 1977 (seniority 1 January 1977), to lieutenant commander on 1 January 1985, and was promoted to commander on 31 December 1990.

Ibbotson was given command of the mine countermeasure vessel before serving in the Gulf War in 1991 for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. he became commanding officer of the frigate as well as Captain of the 1st Frigate Squadron and then served as Assistant Director, and then as Acting Director of the Directorate of Operational Capability at the Ministry of Defence, before becoming Commander of British Forces in the Falkland Islands in 2002. He was appointed Flag Officer, Sea Training in 2007 and Deputy Commander-in-Chief Fleet in 2009.

He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours.