About our Advisors

Andrew Brookes

After graduating from Leeds University, Andrew Brookes completed RAF pilot training in 1968. Following recce and strike tours on 543, 85, 100, 35 and 101 Squadrons, during which he logged 3,500 flying hours, he joined the tri-service policy and plans staff of Commander British Forces, Hong Kong. After serving on the HQ Strike Command Plans staff, and then in charge of the multi-engine, training and rotary wing desks in the Inspectorate of Flight Safety, he was appointed as the last operational RAF Commander at the Greenham Common cruise missile base. He spent a year studying International Relations as Fellow Commoner at Downing College, Cambridge, before becoming a Group Director at the RAF Advanced Staff College and then co-ordinator of air power studies at the Joint Services Command and Staff College. He earned an Open University MBA in 1995. He was trained in management consultancy at the Civil Service Staff College and his final tour was in MoD Consultancy and Management Services.

He is now Aerospace Analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He publishes and broadcasts widely. He received the Defence Aerospace Journalist of the Year Award in 2004 and 2006. He has written thirteen aviation books, including Photo Reconnaissance, The V-Force, Air War over Italy, Air War over Russia and a quartet of books, which draw out the flight safety lessons from high profile aircraft accidents. His latest book, Vulcan Units in the Cold War, was published by Osprey at the start of the year.

Andrew Brookes is a Liveryman of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and a Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute. He is Vice President of No.343 (Camberwell) ATC Squadron and governor of his local primary school.

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Chris Granville-White

Chris was a pilot in the Royal Air Force, with an operational background flying single-seat aircraft in the attack and recce roles. He flew Hunters in the Middle East for 2 years 1963-65 operating from Aden, Bahrain and Sharjah. He later flew Hunters in Germany, and Harriers as an off-base site commander in Germany. Following conversion to the Jaguar, he was a squadron commander in the UK and on regular detachments to North Norway. He also spent 3 years as a flying instructor at the RAF College Cranwell.

Following his time on operational flying, he worked for 11 years in the Operational Requirements branch in MoD, where he was responsible for the Harrier GR5/7, Jaguar Fly-by-Wire, Experimental Aircraft Programme (EAP), and Eurofighter Typhoon. In the early days of Eurofighter Typhoon, he negotiated the operational requirement with the air staffs of the partner air forces, and for 8 years was on the 4-Nation Board of Directors.

Chris is a graduate of the RAF's Air Warfare Course, and the Royal Navy Staff College at Greenwich. His individual project papers won the course prize on both courses.

In his spare time he is a Yachtmaster Ocean sail-training skipper, instructor and examiner with the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth, and the RAF Sailing Association. He was appointed CBE in 1996.

Since finishing his time in the Royal Air Force, Chris has worked in various roles in the defence industry — and also chairs several of the annual IQPC conferences.

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John Geenty

As Divisional Director for Defence IQ, John is responsible for the generation, development and execution of over 60 conferences and summits for the defence sector annually. These events provide tailored solutions to each branch of the armed forces and their industry partners, enhancing cooperation, sharing lessons learned and providing clarity on future plans and requirements. Major international gatherings such as Offshore Patrol Vessels, Future Artillery, Information Operations and the International Fighter conference all fall under his remit. John has been in post as Divisional Director since January 2007.

John joined Defence IQ as a Conference Producer in 2005 and produced the division's largest events including Light & Medium Armoured Vehicles in 2006 and 2007 and the annual C4ISTAR conference, Network Centric Warfare Europe.

Prior to Defence IQ John completed his Masters Degree in Intelligence and International Security at the War Studies department of King's College London. He also holds a Bachelors Degree in Politics and International Relations from Lancaster University. His dissertation work has focused upon Royal Navy procurement in the post-war era and an analysis of factors influencing small unit cohesion in combat. He has also had several papers published detailing key projects in Aeronautical and Astronautical history.

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