Paul Taylor Freng

Paul has led the delivery of some of the most demanding national security programmes in the UK, operating at the very highest levels of government. He is uniquely qualified to understand the evolving threat environment, as well as having an exceptional track record of driving and delivering change in complex organisations. Paul’s contribution to the world of science technology was recognised by his election as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2013, where he now sits on the UK’s Engineering Policy Committee.

Professional and Industry Experience

Deputy Managing Director at AWE plc, responsible for providing the AWE Board and UK Ministry of Defence with assurance of delivery of the c£1Bn pa nuclear warhead programme.

Director General of Technology and Chief Information Officer (CIO) in a Central Government Department, where he was a member of both ExCo and the main board. Paul carried responsibility for technical operations worldwide and for the development and protection of the capabilities to conduct them.

Director General of Strategic Technologies and then Director General of Equipment in MOD. Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) for the UK’s Future Nuclear Deterrent. Paul had responsibility for the Defence equipment programme, and for delivery of Urgent Operational requirements to British Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Paul was the first Chief Executive of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL). The post carried responsibility for all elements of defence research and the 3000 staff that were retained within government following the split of MOD R&D activities into QinetiQ and DSTL.

A member of a number of Government Technical Advisory Committees, Paul also chairs the Advisory Board of the Imperial College Institute of Security Science and Technology.

He is currently advising and exercising a number of global retail and investment banks at board level, helping to address their cyber and information protection challenges. Paul sits on a number of bank Board Risk Committee Advisory Panels. Paul is married to Jacqui. They have two children and live in Berkshire. He enjoys hill walking, and holidays on remote Scottish Islands.