George McCrea, chief of staff, Headquarters Royal Engineers Geographic
Describe your career to date
I joined the Army in 2007 after working for Lloyds Bank for four years. After the year-long commissioning course at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, I commissioned into the Corps of Royal Engineers. The subsequent 15 years can be split into two clear phases. For my junior postings I worked in the Close Support and Armoured Engineering environment and was stationed in the UK and Germany. I also deployed on operations and exercises around the globe in junior leadership and advisory roles.
There then came a seismic shift in career path as I studied for a Geospatial MSc. On completion of the course, I have had specific roles relating to the military geospatial capability. These roles have been as a specialist advisor in a NATO headquarters, where I both commanded a team of geospatial data analysts and was responsible for advising the senior leaders on spatially related situations and solutions.
Most recently I have been working in the National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence, firstly in a command and leadership role within 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic) and now as the chief of staff for the Royal Engineers (Geographic) trade, with a remit to ensure the capability keeps pace with needs of the end user and technological advances.
In 2022, I was the first Army officer to be selected for the Percy Hobart Innovation Fellowship; a great immersive experience that looks to develop innovators across the MoD and provide them with the insights and tools to deliver success.
What stage has your organisation reached on its data maturity journey?
The MoD is on a hugely exciting data maturity journey, led by the incomparable Caroline Bellamy as CDO. So in the larger strategic element we have the direction. In my part of the organisation, the Royal Engineers Geographic, we are in the lucky position where all those working in the organisation have had formal academic training, to at least BSc level, in understanding, using, and maximising value from data. We do not rest on our laurels though and the journey continues as we look for opportunities to constantly learn and develop.
Tell us about the data and analytics resources you are responsible for
The Royal Engineers Geographic capability comprises some 650 military personnel. Staffed by highly trained and skilled individuals, we have ‘touch points’ of presence all around the globe, physically and virtually. Wherever the MoD has personnel stationed or deployed, they will be supported in some form by our capability. Because of the nature of our role, we support at great breadth and depth within the organisation so we have people supporting the senior C-suite decision makers, down to the tactical elements.
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