Rear Admiral Lower assumed the role of Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff in November 2020, the Royal Navy’s Director of strategy, policy, international & domestic engagement and strategic communications. The role comes with a seat on the Admiralty & Navy Boards, Maritime UK’s National Council, The Chamber of Shipping Supervisory Board, London International Shipping Week’s Advisory Board and Co-chair of the Shipping and Defence Advisory Committee.

Recent appointments include: Head of Naval Staff in Whitehall, a strategy and engagement focussed role; Chief of Defence Staff’s Liaison Officer to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon through 2016/17 straddling the change in US Administration; head of the Africa plans team at the UK’s Permanent Joint Headquarters (Ebola crisis/South Sudan/Somalia and Libya); and, Naval Assistant to the First Sea Lord.

RAdm Lower has held 4 sea commands: HMS LEEDS CASTLE, the Falkland Islands Patrol Vessel, completing her final South Atlantic patrol and return to home waters; HMS SHOREHAM, a minehunter; and, on promotion to Commander in 2007, HMS GLOUCESTER, an air defence destroyer, which included a return to the South Atlantic as the Commander of the Maritime Task Group. As Captain Air Warfare in 2013 he commanded HMS DRAGON, a new Type 45 destroyer, and led her maiden deployment to the Middle East.

A graduate of the Advanced Command and Staff Course (2007), Higher Command and Staff Course (Defence’s most Senior Staff training, 2015), UK/US Rising Leaders Course (National Defence University, Washington DC, 2017) and the UK’s National Security Secretariat Practitioners Course (2017), RAdm Lower holds an MA in Defence Studies from King’s College London.

Married to Pippa with 3 university aged children, he enjoys rugby, swimming, skiing, sailing, cycling and is also a passionate (and frustrated) fly fisherman. A Freeman of the City of London and a Younger Brother of Trinity House.