Alan Massey


Sir Alan Michael Massey, KCB, CBE is a former senior officer in the Royal Navy who served as the Second Sea Lord.

Naval career

Educated at the University of Liverpool and Britannia Royal Naval College, Massey trained as a seaman officer, specialising in above water warfare and as a fighter controller and navigator. His first posting was to in 1979. Massey's first command was in 1993, and he later saw service as captain of HMS Campbeltown, HMS Illustrious during operations against the Taliban regime in Afghanistan in 2001 and as captain of HMS Ark Royal when his ship led the amphibious assault into Iraq in 2003. Staff tours included three appointments to the Ministry of Defence in London, serving in the NATO policy directorate, Defence Programmes and as assistant director of Navy Plans. He also served twice in NATO staff appointments: as military assistant to the chairman of the NATO Military Committee in Brussels and head of plans for the Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic in Norfolk, Virginia. As a commodore, he led the Operations Division of the Permanent Joint Headquarters at Northwood and then went on to be Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff in July 2005. He assumed office as Second Sea Lord in a ceremony aboard HMS Victory in July 2008.

Later life

Having left the Navy, Massey was appointed chief executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on 20 July 2010. Massey stepped down as chief executive on 31 October 2018.

Honours

On 31 October 2003, Massey was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services whilst on operations in Iraq during the period 19th March to 19th April 2003". He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 2009 Queen's Birthday Honours.