Dr. Stephen Lander is a fomer Director General of MI5 and Le Cercle member, who after leaving MI5 has held a range of other senior posts both in and out of government, including heading the UK's Serious Organised Crime Agency and as "a paid director of a company that has IT contracts with every police force in the UK."[1]
Background
Lander was a pupil at Bishop's Stortford College (previously attended by MI5 officers including Peter Wright and Director-General Sir Dick White) and then Queens' College, Cambridge. He was awarded a Ph.D. for a thesis entitled The diocese of Chichester 1508-1558 : Episcopal reform under Robert Sherburne and its aftermath.
Career
He worked for 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. In 1975 he joined MI5.[2] At some point during the mid-1980s, Lander served under Stella Rimington, whom he praised as "far and away" the best assistant director, he ever had.[3] Lander worked for 25 years in MI5, rising to Director-General from 1996 to 2002.[4]
MI5 Director General
Lander was MI5 Director General on 9/11, when he briefed Tony Blair and took part in COBR meetings at Downing Street, in the immediate wake of the terrorist attacks in the United States.[5] Alastair Campbell and Cabinet Secretary Sir Richard Wilson were impressed by his performance.[6]
Home Secretary David Blunkett was less of an admirer, complaining that it was almost as if he "talks in riddles, which makes it very difficult to pin him down."[7]
In early 2002, Lander told staff that the government had provided additional funding but lower priority work would have to be reduced until recruitment could catch up.[8] He retired as MI5 Director-General in October 2002.[8]
Northgate Information Solutions
Northgate Information Solutions[9]
SOCA Chair
Lander was the first head of the Serious Organised Crime Agency, dubbed "Britain's FBI".
Security Industry
The Guardian reported in 2006 that Lander retained a number of directorships in the security industry following his SOCA appointment:
- Sir Stephen Lander, the head of Britain's elite crime-busting squad, is a paid director of a company that has IT contracts with every police force in the UK. He is also on the board of a second firm whose parent company has IT contracts with other law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
- Since taking up his post as chairman of the serious organised crime agency in September 2004, Sir Stephen, 58, has remained as a non-executive director of Northgate Information Solutions and StreamShield Networks, with a total remuneration of £60,000. As head of SOCA his starting salary was £75,000.[10]
Many thanks to our
Patrons who cover ~2/3 of our hosting bill. Please join them if you can.
References
- ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/jun/12/ukcrime.davidpallister
- ↑ The Security Service
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.774.
- ↑ Press Association, Blunkett appoints former MI5 Chief, guardian.co.uk,13 August 2004.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.809.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.810.
- ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.811.
- ↑ a b Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.812.
- ↑ https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/12/329856.html?c=on
- ↑ David Pallister, Crime squad chief's links to IT firm are revealed, The Guardian, 12 June 2006.