{{Short description|British Navy Vice Admiral (born 1972)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox military person |honorific_prefix = Vice Admiral |name = Simon Asquith |honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CB|OBE}} |image= HMS Portland submariners (Simon Asquith cropped).jpg |image_size= |alt= |caption= Captain Asquith in 2015 |nickname= |birth_date= {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1972|03|07}} |birth_place= Bradford, England |death_date= |death_place= |burial_place= |allegiance= United Kingdom |branch= Royal Navy |service_years= 1990–present |rank= Vice Admiral |unit= |commands= Commander Operations<br/>{{HMS|Portland|F79|6}}<br/>{{HMS|Talent|S92|6}} |battles= |awards= Companion of the Order of the Bath<br/>Officer of the Order of the British Empire |relations= |other_work= }} Vice Admiral '''Simon Phillip Asquith''', {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100|sep=,|CB|OBE}} (born 7 March 1972) is a senior Royal Navy officer who has served as chief of staff to Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, NATO since 2024.
He was Director of Submarines for the Royal Navy from April 2022 to April 2024. then was succeeded by Rear Admiral Andy Perks.<ref name="r567">{{cite web|title=Rear Admiral Andy Perks|website=Navy Leaders|date=27 February 2026|url=https://navyleaders.com/speaker/rear-admiral-andy-perks/|access-date=8 April 2026}}</ref>
==Early life== Asquith was educated at the University of Plymouth (BA Maritime Studies) and King's College London (MA Defence Studies, 2012).<ref>"Asquith, Rear Adm. Simon Philip, (born 7 March 1972), Commander Operations, Royal Navy, since 2019." WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 1 December 2020; retrieved 14 Dec. 2020.</ref>
==Naval career== Asquith joined the Royal Navy in September 1990,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=54016|page=6015|supp=y|date=24 April 1995}}</ref> and went on to become commanding officer of the submarine {{HMS|Talent|S92|6}} in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hms-talent-returns-from-the-indian-ocean|title=HMS Talent returns from the Indian Ocean|publisher=Ministry of Defence|date=8 September 2010|accessdate=6 November 2019}}</ref> After that he became commanding officer of the frigate {{HMS|Portland|F79|6}} in September 2015,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forces.net/services/navy/hms-portland-potentially-career-ending-perisher-course|title=HMS Portland in Potentially Career-Ending 'Perisher' Course|publisher=Forces.net|date=13 May 2015|accessdate=6 November 2019}}</ref> Assistant Director Higher Command and Staff Course in January 2016, and Deputy Commander of UK Maritime Component Command in the Middle East in May 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://combinedmaritimeforces.com/2017/06/25/maritime-iftar-in-bahrain/|title=Maritime Iftar in Bahrain|date=25 June 2017 |publisher=Combined Maritime Forces|accessdate=6 November 2019}}</ref> He then became Chief of Staff, Standing Joint Force in April 2018 and,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Admirals-Current.pdf|title=Admirals: November 2019|accessdate=6 November 2019}}</ref> after being promoted to rear admiral on 14 October 2019,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=62830|page=20852|supp=y|date=19 November 2019}}</ref> he became Commander Operations in November 2019.<ref>{{cite tweet |user=RAdmPaulHalton |number=1191769150391238656 |date=6 November 2019 |title=I wish my relief, RAdm Simon Asquith, every possible success.}}</ref> He was promoted to vice admiral on 8 July 2024,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=64453|supp=y|page=13258| date=9 July 2024}}</ref> and now serves as chief of staff to Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, NATO.<ref name="NATO bio">{{cite web |title=Vice Admiral Simon Asquith MA CB OBE |url=https://www.act.nato.int/team-member/vice-admiral-simon-asquith-ma-cb-obe/ |website=act.nato.int |publisher=NATO Allied Command Transformation |access-date=9 August 2024 |date=2024}}</ref>
Asquith was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2012 New Year Honours,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=60009|page=4|supp=y|date=31 December 2011}}</ref> and a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 2022 Birthday Honours.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=63714|page=B2|supp=y|date=2 June 2022}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef|before=Paul Halton}} {{s-ttl|title=Commander Operations|years=2019–2022}} {{s-aft|after=Edward Ahlgren}} {{s-new}} {{s-ttl|title=Director of Submarines|years=2022–2024}} {{s-aft|after=Rear Admiral Andy Perks}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Asquith, Simon}} Category:1972 births Category:Alumni of King's College London Category:Alumni of the University of Plymouth Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath Category:Living people Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire Category:Royal Navy rear admirals