Sir David Steel

Trustee

Vice Admiral Sir David Steel KBE KStJ DL David Steel joined the Royal Navy as a Logistics Officer in 1979. During his early career he specialised in law, qualified as a barrister and later as a Judge Advocate in Courts-Martial.

As a Commander, he was Supply Officer of the aircraft carrier HMS INVINCIBLE, seeing service in the Arabian Gulf during action against Iraq, and off Kosovo, for which he was recognised in the award of the Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service. Later, he served in various roles in the Fleet Headquarters and in the Ministry of Defence, including as Secretary and principal adviser to the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff.

As a Commodore he served three years as the Naval Base Commander in Portsmouth, being appointed CBE for his work in leading the Naval Base during the 2007 Naval Base Review. On promotion to Rear Admiral, he was appointed as Naval Secretary and Head of Personnel. He was promoted to Vice Admiral in 2012 and became the Second Sea Lord until his retirement from the Royal Navy in 2015.

From 2015 to 2020 he served as Chief Executive of the Leeds Castle Foundation and Enterprises Limited and then, between June 2020 and June 2024, was Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Gibraltar.

Amongst other activities and in addition to being a non-executive director of two shipping companies and a Lay Member of the House of Lords Conduct Committee, he is Chairman and President of the Union Jack Club, a Vice-President of the Sea Cadets, a Trustee of the Nuffield Trust for the Forces of the Crown, an Ambassador for the Woodland Trust, and a Freeman of the City of London.

He retains several roles closely linking him with Gibraltar, including being Patron of the Gibraltar National Theatre Foundation and Patron of Loreto School, as well as being Chair of the Commonwealth Enterprise & Investment Council for Gibraltar.