General Sir Gwyn Jenkins KCB OBE ADC RM
Information on this page has been compiled from publicly available sources, including official records, organisation publications and other authoritative references. We aim to keep profiles accurate and up to date, but public information can change over time.
If you believe any information on this page is inaccurate or incomplete, please contact the editorial team.
General Sir Gwyn Jenkins is a senior Royal Marines officer who serves as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, making him the professional head of the Royal Navy. In May 2025, he became the first Royal Marine ever appointed First Sea Lord.
Jenkins was commissioned into the Royal Marines in 1990 and served with 42 Commando in Northern Ireland before holding a series of operational and senior command positions. He later deployed to Afghanistan for 12 months, service for which he was awarded an OBE.
After returning to Britain in 2012, Jenkins became Military Assistant to the Prime Minister at Downing Street. He subsequently served as Deputy National Security Adviser for Conflict, Stability and Defence before returning to military command as head of 3 Commando Brigade in 2017.
Promoted to General in 2022, Jenkins became Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, one of Britain's most senior military appointments. He later served as Strategic Adviser to the Defence Secretary, working on Britain's defence agreement with Germany and strategic partnership with Norway.
As First Sea Lord, Jenkins is responsible for the fighting effectiveness, efficiency and morale of the Naval Service and advises Britain's defence leadership on maritime strategy and policy. He has made increasing the Royal Navy's warfighting readiness and accelerating its technological modernisation central priorities of his tenure.
The Royal Navy has tracked Russian warships and sanctioned cargo vessels through the North Sea and English Channel as British naval activations to monitor Russian activity rise 25% year-on-year.