Brigadier Matt Wilkinson

Head of Vehicle Support Team DE&S – UK MOD

Having read a Master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering, at Southampton University, Brigadier Matt Wilkinson was commissioned into the Corps of Royal Engineers in 1994.

Much of his early career, was spent with 16 Air Assault Brigade as a Royal Engineer Troop Commander, Squadron and Regimental Operations Officer. During this time, he deployed on operations to the Balkans, Northern Ireland, Afghanistan and Iraq, and ran expeditions to West Africa and South America. Thereafter he moved to armoured close support engineer roles, commanding 1 Armoured Engineer Squadron and finally 22 Engineer Regiment from 2013 to 2016.

He attended the Australian Command and Staff Course in 2006, and has completed a variety of staff tours, often in change or support roles: He was Deputy Chief of Staff, HQ 16 Air Assault Brigade, serving with the Brigade through a force generation cycle and deployment to Helmand, Afghanistan. As Chief Instructor of the Royal Engineers Warfare Wing, he exploited the Royal School of Military Engineering Public-Private Partnership to transform military engineer command and leadership training. He was NATO’s Baghdad-based project officer to establish NATO Mission Iraq, to support Iraqi Defence Reform.

Since 2016, he has increasingly focused upon Equipment and Support; first as Chief of Staff, Logistics Delivery, Defence Equipment & Support, he supported the evolution of the Operating Centre through DE&S Transformation and gained significant insights into the Defence Support Chain. From 2019, he was Assistant Head Equipment Through Life Support in Army, the leading customer for in-service Land Environment equipment, representing all Front Line Commands. In May 2022, he was appointed Head of the Vehicle Support Team, Defence Equipment & Support; a fascinating and fast-paced role leading a team of exceptional professionals.