Lieutenant Colonel (retd.) James de St John-Pryce

Business Development Director NMS

James de St John-Pryce is the founder of deFennec Solutions, a specialist consultancy focused on advancing mounted close combat systems and enabling the rapid development and procurement of critical and next-generation battlefield capabilities for British and Allied forces. He brings over 25 years of leadership experience in the British Army, with a proven track record in operational command, capability development, and defence strategy. James began his career in the Household Cavalry, with deployments to Bosnia and Iraq, covering reconnaissance, media operations and covert surveillance roles. His subsequent posts included appointments at the Permanent Joint Headquarters as Joint Effects Desk Officer and Military Assistant to the Assistant Chief of Staff J3 (Operations). He went on to command C Squadron HCR, preparing the unit for operations in Afghanistan on the Scimitar 2 reconnaissance vehicle. He has held key strategic and programme roles, including Syria Desk Officer in Military Strategic Effects and the Cabinet Office ISIL Task Force, Plans Officer for the European Training Mission in Mogadishu, and Requirements Manager for the AJAX armoured vehicle programme. His leadership appointments have included Second in Command of the Household Cavalry and Team Leader for J3/Operations and Africa at the Joint Force Headquarters, supporting crisis response worldwide. Most recently, he served as Commanding Officer of the Armoured Trials and Development Unit, leading efforts to test, evaluate, and deliver cutting-edge capability to soldiers in the field. James combines operational credibility with a strong understanding of the defence acquisition landscape and institutional reform. He is also a qualified fixed-wing pilot, an experienced speed rider, and a proponent of modernisation across defence institutions.