Trustees and Members of Council

Working to deliver the Institution’s Strategy 2030.

What we do

InstRE is governed by a trustees board responsible for the Institution’s strategic decision making.  Our Chief Executive leads the Institution in developing and delivering the Institution’s Strategy 2030, together with a small secretariat and a number of volunteers.

The Trustees are supported by a council, who are directly elected by InstRE members at our annual general meeting.

Although our Royal Charter and by-laws are the authoritative governance documents, these are supplemented by our rules and regulations (revised 19 October 17).

Our Organisation

The Council, who are the Trustees of the Institution, comprise the President and four Vice-Presidents, up to 8 ex-officio Members, 6 elected Members, any number of Corresponding Members, and the Chief Executive and Treasurer.

On behalf of the membership, your Council manages all Institution property and funds and directs all the Institution’s affairs and concerns.

President: Major General A J W Sturrock MInstRE

Elected Vice Presidents:

  • Major General D W Southall CBE FInstRE
  • Brigadier P T Quaite OBE FInstRE
  • Brigadier J D Webster FInstRE
  • Colonel J L Prichard KVRM FInstRE

Ex Officio Trustees:

  • Brigadier J D Stuart FInstRE
  • Colonel A J Harris MInstRE
  • Colonel Guy S Cheesman ADC CEng FInstRE
  • Colonel D Hall VR MInstRE
  • Colonel S J Graham FInstRE
  • WO1 (Corps Sergeant Major) S W A Eardley EngTech MInstRE

Chief Executive: Mr Jon D Acornley FInstRE

Treasurer: Major I Sidebottom Hon MInstRE

Director RE Museum: Mrs R Nash Hon MInstRE

Meet The Trustees

President

Major General Andrew Sturrock MInstRE

Andy Sturrock was commissioned into the Corps of Royal Engineers in 1996 after reading Manufacturing Engineering at Cambridge University. He has held a range of command and staff appointments, serving on operations and exercises in Kenya, Northern Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Iraq, and contributed to both the 2010 and 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Reviews. He later led Army Infrastructure Plans before moving to United Kingdom Strategic Command as ACOS Infrastructure, overseeing infrastructure delivery across the United Kingdom and Overseas estate. Since July 2023 he has been the Defence Infrastructure Organisation’s Director of Strategy and Plans, leading work on strategy, planning, digital, asset management and sustainability. A keen sportsman, he shoots for the British Army, enjoys skiing and Munro bagging, and is married to Jayne, with three school age children. He was elected President The Institution of Royal Engineers in January 2026.

 

Vice Presidents

Major General David Southall CBE FInstRE

VICE PRESIDENT ICE PRESIDENT AND CHAIR RE MUSEUM

David currently works as a Non-Exec Director, Company Board Chair and Govt Programme High Risk Reviewer, supporting Cabinet Office and the IPA as an MPLA Alumni.  Prior to current roles, his 33-year Army career spanned service on military engineering projects in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Africa and the Middle East.  His most recent appointment, as an Army Board Director, held responsibility for all estate, infrastructure, and climate change programmes.  He continues to serve as a Colonel Commandant, Charity Chair and Trustee.

Brigadier Pete Quaite OBE CEng FICE FInstRE

VICE PRESIDENT, PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION

Brigadier Pete Quaite is currently the Head of Infrastructure Plans in the Army’s Basing and Infrastructure Directorate.  Commissioned into the Corps of Royal Engineers in 1995, he has served in the United Kingdom (UK), Germany, Italy and Australia and deployed on operations to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Iraq, as well as two tours in Afghanistan.  Having spent the first half of his career in close support engineering, he then moved to become an infrastructure specialist.  He has commanded 73 Armoured Engineer Squadron, 519 STRE (Works), 66 Works Group and 170 (Infrastructure Support) Engineer Group.  His staff experience includes appointments in Army Headquarters, the UK Permanent Joint Headquarters, NATO Joint Force Command Headquarters in Naples and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation.  He has been Vice President since late 2024.

Brigadier James D Webster FInstRE

VICE PRESIDENT, MEMBER SERVICES

Jim Webster was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1998, having previously graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree.  He has commanded Sappers at every rank, from Troop, Squadron, Regiment to Group, in roles from close support to air support, and on exercises and operations across the globe.  At staff, he has worked in both the Ministry of Defence and three times in the Army Headquarters, in the capability development, operations, and personnel career fields, most recently as Chief of Staff of the Personnel Directorate.

Colonel Jon Prichard KVRM FInstRE

VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCIAL ASSURANCE AND RISK

Jon Prichard was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1983. He read an in-service degree in civil engineering at RMCS and then served as a regular officer in the UK, Germany, and the Balkans before moving to the ICE as a Director in 2001. He became the CEO of the Engineering Council in 2010, the Chief Executive of IChemE in 2017, followed by Chief Executive of the Mineral Products Association in 2022. He is currently semi-retired working part-time as a Consultant. Since leaving Regular service, he has volunteered as a Trustee/Director of the CIC, SocEnv, FEANI and the QAA, and latterly Engineers Without Borders UK. He has served as the Acting Adjutant/ Chief of Staff of the Staff Corps since 2003

Our Trustees

Brigadier Jamie Stuart FInstRE

TRUSTEE, EX OFFICIO

Brigadier Jamie Stuart commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 2000 after studying at Dollar Academy and Edinburgh University. His early career included roles with The Queen’s Gurkha Engineers and armoured engineer units, with operational deployments to Iraq and Cyprus (UN), and training in Nepal, Canada, Belize and Germany. He commanded 8 Armoured Engineer Squadron on Op HERRICK 16 and later 39 Engineer Regiment, deploying to South Sudan (UN) and leading UK COVID-19 resilience operations.  His staff appointments include roles in the MOD developing new capabilities, in PJHQ J3 with global operational deployments, and as lead for Strategy in Army HQ. As DACOS Military and Strategic Plans in HQ Field Army, he oversaw strategic planning and structural change. Most recently, he served as Assistant Head Strategy and Force Design in Army Futures, contributing to the Strategic Defence Review. He assumed command of 8 Engineer Brigade following the Higher Command and Staff Course.

Colonel Alex J Harris MInstRE

TRUSTEE, EX OFFICIO

Commissioned in 2001, Alex Harris has served in a spectrum of roles across the Corps, including EOD and Search, Field and Armoured Engineering and as a Geospatial Officer. Operationally he has deployed to Northern Ireland, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo, he was also instrumental in the initiation of the resurveying of the Military Demarcation Line on the Korean Peninsula. He has commanded 13 Geographic Squadron and subsequently 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic). Prior to assuming his current role, Deputy Head Plans for the National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence and Commander Royal Engineers Geographic, he was on his third tour in Iraq as the Senior Advisor for Intelligence in the NATO Mission Iraq.

Colonel Guy S Cheesman ADC CEng FInstRE

TRUSTEE, EX OFFICIO

Prior to becoming Corps Colonel, Guy was on the staff within the Miliary Strategic Headquarters in Main Building, under Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Force Development), during a period of strategic change under Defence Reform, which saw him involved implementing the digitisation of strategic decision support tools. He commissioned into the Corps after a spell of soldier service as a Marine Engineer, enjoying a varied career that included a spell as an Army HQ Requirements Manager – responsible for bringing novel technology into service to the Land Domain and later kick-starting a multi-billion-pound equipment programme. He completed the Battlespace Technology MSc, became a Chartered Engineer through, and is a Fellow of, the Institute of Royal Engineers. He is married to Claire, has three children and lives in Greater Manchester.

Colonel Dan Hall VR MInstRE

TRUSTEE, EX OFFICIO

Dan joined the Territorial Army in 1997 and was commissioned into the Corps of Royal Engineers in 1999 with 71 Engineer Regiment (Air Support).  He has served at Regimental Duty with 71 Engineer Regiment, 72 Engineer Regiment and 21 Engineer Regiment, before being selected to command 65 Works Group Royal Engineers in 2019. At staff he has served the Officer Training environment as an SO3 in the Officer Training Wing of 15 Brigade, and as an SO2 within the Academy HQ RMAS.  Further staff appointments have been within the Personnel environment at the Army Personnel Centre at SO2 as a Reserve Career Manager and as SO1 Project Officer in Career Management Policy.  On promotion to Colonel, he assumed his current role as Deputy Corps Colonel in September 2025.

Dan began his civilian career with Proctor and Gamble implementing global enterprise financial systems, eventually moving into the implementation and delivery of global outsourced HR, Payroll and business transformation services and technology.  He currently leads global payroll implementation teams for BDO UK, and is based in Northumberland.

Colonel Simon J Graham BEng(Hons) FInstRE

TRUSTEE, EX OFFICIO

Colonel Graham attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 2003, commissioning into the Royal Engineers.  He spent the first five years of his career serving with 59 Independent Commando Squadron and later 24 Commando Engineer Regiment. He commanded 4 Field Squadron, 21 Engineer Regiment from 2014 to 2016 and returned to command the Regiment in August 2019.  He assumed command of 25 (Close Support) Engineer Group in February 2024.

His staff appointments include: the management of in-service surveillance and target acquisition equipment; Military Assistant to the Administrator of the Sovereign Base Areas and Commander British Forces Cyprus; and a team leader on an Army personnel change programme.

His staff training includes the Battlespace Technology Course, Initial Command and Staff Course, and he was a member of the first cohort of the Army Advanced Development Programme where he completed an MBA at Warwick Business School. He is also a fellow of the Forward Institute Leadership Programme.

WO1 (Corps Sergeant Major) Spencer Eardley EngTech  MInstRE

TRUSTEE, EX OFFICIO

Warrant Officer Class One Spencer Eardley attended the Army Training Regiment at Bassingbourn, before completing his Combat Engineer training at the Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment, Minley. He was posted to 48 Fd Sqn (Air Sp), 39 Engineer Regiment. During this tour he deployed on operation FINGAL, ORACLE, TELIC, DESCANT and HERRICK, where he was awarded an Engineer-in-Chief Commendation for Service to the Corps of Royal Engineers.  During his time at 39 Engineer Regiment, he was awarded a Certificate of Meritorious Service, from GOC, Theatre Troops. During his tenure as SSM, he was fortunate to assume duties as the Queens’ Guard and Windsor Castle guard at the Royal Palaces, as the Public Duties Reinforcement Company.  More recently, after successful completion of a BA (Hons), he has completed studies and graduated with an MSc.

Committees

In addition to Council, there are five standing committees which oversee the activities of the Institution.

  • Members Services Committee (MSC)
  • Finance and Assurance Committee (F&A)
  • Professional Registration Committee (PRC)
  • Royal Engineers Museum Library Archive Committee (REMLAC)
  • Royal Engineers Historical Society Committee (REHS)

 

All committees meet twice a year.

Council minutes

You can find the Official Minutes from recent Council Meetings below and keep up to date with everything that has been discussed.

Click the button below to see the relevant documents.

Minutes

AGM

An Annual General Meeting is held every autumn and details are published both on the website and through the Supplement.  All members are most welcome to attend.  Special General Meetings are convened by the President, or the Council, as necessary.  The AGM is the opportunity for the Council to report on the condition of the Institution.  A printed copy of the Trustee Annual Report, together with a financial statement, audited by an approved chartered accountant, are published on the Institution website, and can be circulated in hard copy on request.

AGM Minutes

Become a Member

And make a difference!

learned society that seeks to advance the art and science of military engineering by sharing experiences, best practice and emerging thinking.

BECOME A MEMBER

Professional effectiveness

The opportunity for military engineers to seek registration with and through life support to continuous personal development from a professional engineering institution registered with the Engineering Council.

Professional network

The development of a personal, through life professional network that spans the serving, retired and civilian community of engineering like minded individuals.

Professional registration

The opportunity for military engineers to seek registration with, and through, life support to continuous personal development activities from a professional engineering institution, Licensed by the Engineering Council.

Access to extensive knowledge

Ready access to an extensive archive of military engineering, scientific and professional knowledge across the spectrum of past, present and future.