After a short post-doctoral career at the University of Edinburgh, Campbell joined the Ministry of Defence in 1995. He held a number of scientific roles and was promoted to Asst Head in 2000. Roles in defence policy and Civilian HR, sandwiched an operational tour (Iraq 2003) and attendance at the Military’s Higher Command and Staff Course (2005).
Promoted to the SCS in 2006 he was Director Resources for the army. In 2009, he was appointed Hd Counter Terrorism and UK Operational Policy, where he was the Policy lead for operations in Libya, counter-piracy and the Defence contribution to Security for London 2012.
He joined the Civil Contingencies Secretariat on promotion to Director in 2013 where he was responsible for the UK’s national preparedness for all disruptive challenges. His team oversaw the central coordination of the NATO Summit in Newport and led the UK Government response to widespread flooding in the UK and the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
He became the Director of Cyber and Government Security in 2016 and is responsible for the delivery of the National Cyber Security Strategy and National Cyber Security Programme and the UK’s developing policy on the use of Cyber Capability. He is also leading transformational change in Government Security machinery.
Campbell lives in Fleet, is married (Anna) and has two children (Sean and Kevin), now at University. He is Chair of Directors at a local school, a UK National Leader of School Governance and the Chair of Trustees of a local child care charity.