Brigadier (Retd.) Nick Cowey MBE

Head of Military Capability Delivery, British Army (2020-2023) Chairman, Sustainment Sessions

Brigadier Nick Cowey commissioned into the 1st Royal Tank Regiment in 1997. He spent his first seven years at regimental duty undertaking almost every job: Troop Leader, CBRN Squadron Operations Officer, Reconnaissance Troop Leader, Squadron Second in Command, Operations Officer and Adjutant. He went on to command FALCON Sqn 2RTR, serve as Regimental Second in Command, and command 1RTR during its amalgamation with 2RTR in 2014. He has served with the RTR on operations in Cyprus, Kuwait and Iraq and Afghanistan.

As an SO2 he served on the Defence Intelligence Staff as the Iraq Analyst in the Strategic Assessments department, and post Sub-Unit Command in Headquarters 1st (UK) Armoured Division in 2008 as the SO2 G3 Operations, Organisation and Deployments. He completed ACSC before taking up the post of SO1 Programme in Army Resources and Plans (later re-named Finance and Military Capability Army). In this role he was the lead officer in Main Building responsible for the Army's budget; providing assurance of the 10-year financial position. He returned to Iraq on Op SHADER as the Deputy J3 in the Coalition Land Component Headquarters coordinating operations in support of Iraqi Security Forces as they defeated ISIS in the country. On return he promoted to Colonel and assumed the role of Assistant Head Close Combat in the Ground Manoeuvre Directorate of the Army HQ, responsible for developing close combat capabilities; in particular the modernisation of AI Brigades and the Strike brigades concept. He moved ‘downstairs’ in Army HQ to become Assistant Head Equipment Plans in early 2020, before promotion to Brigadier and appointment as Head Equipment in June 2020. Most recently, he became the first Head Military Capability Delivery as part of the Army Operating Model review in September 2021.

Brigadier Nick is married and lives in Salisbury with his wife and three children. He enjoys an outdoor life, sometimes risking a camping trip with his family, most sport, but particularly rugby union and alpine skiing and has a fondness for old cars, but can’t afford to own any! He was appointed MBE in 2011, Commandant of the Small Arms School Corps in April 2017 and Deputy Colonel Commandant of the Royal Tank Regiment in 2019.