Ambassador Dr. Rocky Meade

Permanent Secretary Office of the Prime Minister of Jamaica

Ambassador Rocky Meade, Director of National Strategic Initiatives in the Office of the Prime Minister, retired as a Lieutenant General and Jamaica’s Chief of Defence Staff in 2022, after 38 years of service and leadership. His achievements include the enhancement of the JDF from a Brigade to a Division; the promulgation of several policies including gender optimization; and the establishment of the Jamaica National Service Corps, the Caribbean Military Academy and the Caribbean Journal of Strategic and Security Studies. He has chaired several local and international bodies, has extensive publications, supervises doctoral students and delivers invited lectures and consultations on strategic studies, security, intelligence and linguistics internationally. He holds Bachelors and Masters degrees from the University of the West Indies, a Masters of Military Arts and Science from the US Army Command and General Staff College, a PhD from the University of Amsterdam and is an alumnus of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, Germany. He has received several national and international honours and awards