Serco has named Doug Umbers as the new managing director of its Defence business in the United Kingdom.
Prior to joining Serco, Umbers was Chief Operating Officer at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), the £1 billion science and technology arm of the UK's Ministry of Defence (MOD) where he also served as interim Chief Executive Officer for 11 months.
Previously, he has led private sector businesses that design, build and operate technical and technology services for the MOD and intelligence services, the BBC, foreign governments, and mobile phone operators in the UK and overseas.
Serco has been an Impact Partner for the UK MOD for almost 60 years
A chartered accountant who began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Umbers has also served as a member of the executive teams of VT Group (now Babcock International), and broadcast and telecoms infrastructure provider Arqiva.
In his new role he will lead some 2,500 employees working on MOD, aerospace, maritime and land system contracts with multiple critical national infrastructure assets and services.
Anthony Kirby, Serco Chief Executive for the UK and Europe, says: “We are thrilled to have someone of Doug’s calibre and experience join Serco to lead our Defence business.
Serco has been an Impact Partner for the UK MOD for almost 60 years and today our 2,500 people support the UK’s critical national infrastructure as well as the UK Armed Forces all around the UK and overseas.”
I am very aware of the responsibility we, in industry, have to deliver ever more effective and positive impacts for Defence and for those who serve in our Armed Forces.
I am delighted to have joined Serco and to be given the opportunity to lead such a well run and ambitious business.
"We have a pipeline of exciting opportunities across the main domains that will build on Serco’s reputation as a strategically important partner for the Ministry of Defence.”
