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Stephen Lander

b. 1947

Former director-general of MI5

Intelligence officer
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About Stephen Lander

Born 1947. Stephen Lander is a British intelligence officer.

Sir Stephen James Lander, KCB (born 1947) is a former chairman of the United Kingdom's Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), who also served as Director General of the British Security Service (MI5) from 1996 to 2002.

Career Lander attended Parkside School, then located in East Horsley, prior to its move to Cobham, Bishop's Stortford College and Queens' College, Cambridge, where he earned a doctorate in history entitled The diocese of Chichester 1508–1558 : Episcopal reform under Robert Sherburne and its aftermath. In 1975, after three years at the Institute of Historical Research (part of the University of London) where he was assistant editor of the Victoria History of Cheshire, and serving as an Honorary Research Fellow of the University of Liverpool, he joined MI5. He was Director General of MI5 from 1996 to 2002.

In April 2006, he was appointed chairman of Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA). He retired from that post in 2009.

In 1972, he married Felicity Mary Brayley and had a son and daughter. In September 2002, his son James died at age 28 of acute blood poisoning caused by drug and alcohol toxicity.

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Important facts

Born
1947
Birth century
Occupation
Intelligence officer
Education
Queens' College, Bishop's Stortford College
Positions held
Director General of MI5
Employers
University of London, MI5, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Awards
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Also known as
Stephen James Lander, Sir Stephen Lander, Sir Stephen James Lander

People in Stephen Lander's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Stephen Lander's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Stephen Lander?

former director-general of MI5

When was Stephen Lander born?

Stephen Lander was born in 1947.

What is Stephen Lander's occupation?

Stephen Lander is an intelligence officer.

What nationality is Stephen Lander?

Stephen Lander is British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Stephen Lander

· Wikidata: Q7609746

· DBpedia: Stephen Lander

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Stephen Lander. https://biography.guide/stephen-lander/

MLA: "Stephen Lander." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/stephen-lander/.

Chicago: "Stephen Lander." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/stephen-lander/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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