Graeme Biggar
Graeme Biggar | |
|---|---|
Biggar in 2025 | |
| Director General of the National Crime Agency | |
| Assumed office 5 October 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Lynne Owens |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 August 1974 |
| Profession | Director General of the National Crime Agency |
| Awards | Commander of the Order of the British Empire (2019) |
Graeme Biggar (born 13 August 1974) is the Director General of the National Crime Agency. Biggar has been in the role since August 2022,[1][2] and has led the Agency on an interim basis since October 2021.[3] Biggar joined the National Crime Agency (NCA) as the Director General of the National Economic Crime Centre (NECC) in March 2019.[4]
Early life and education
Biggar was born in Glasgow to parents Hamish, an accountant, and Sue, a physiotherapist. He was educated at Glasgow Academy, Aldwickbury School and Uppingham School.[5] He studied Modern History at Oxford University. He later attended the Royal College of Defence Studies in 2011–12, graduating with a MA (Distinction) in International Security and Strategy.[6]
Career
Ministry of Defence
In 1997, Biggar joined the Civil Service Fast Stream in the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) where he worked for most of the next twenty years, other than a year in the Ministry of Defence (New Zealand) in 2000–01, and three years in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs between 2003–2006.
Between 2006 and 2011, Biggar worked on management and reform of the Ministry of Defence, including supporting the 2011 Lord Levene Defence Reform Group review.
In 2013, he became Head of Operational Policy in the Ministry of Defence but was quickly promoted to Director as the Chief of Staff to the Defence Secretary, first Philip Hammond and then Michael Fallon.[4]
Home Office
Biggar became Director National Security in the Home Office in 2016, where he worked on countering terrorism and state threats. In the office, he passed and implemented the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 and responded to the 2017 terrorist attacks and to the 2018 Poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal.[7]
National Crime Agency
In 2019, Biggar moved to the National Crime Agency, becoming Director General of the National Economic Crime Centre.[8] In 2021, he was appointed interim Director General of the National Crime Agency, before becoming its permanent Director General in 2022. He leads about 6,000 officers based in the UK and overseas.[9]
Honours
Biggar was awarded a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2019.[10]
References
- ^ "Graeme Biggar appointed NCA Director General".
- ^ "Appointment of Graeme Biggar CBE as the Director General of the National Crime Agency". committees.parliament.uk.
- ^ "Director General of the National Crime Agency appointed".
- ^ a b "Graeme Biggar appointed Director General of the National Crime Agency".
- ^ "OU Magazine Issue 51 2023-2024". 9 November 2023.
- ^ "Graeme Biggar".
- ^ "National Crime Agency chief named after recruitment process re-run". Civil Service World. 2022-08-17. Retrieved 2025-05-28.
- ^ Jones, Polly (2022-08-15). "Graeme Biggar appointed Director General of the National Crime Agency". Counter Terror Business. Retrieved 2025-05-28.
- ^ Davies, Caroline (2022-08-12). "Graeme Biggar appointed director general of National Crime Agency". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-05-28.
- ^ "Graeme BIGGAR | Order of the British Empire | the Gazette".