Simon Fabri has been appointed Chief Executive of the United Kingdom's His Majesty's Government Communications Centre (HMGCC), the government organisation responsible for developing specialist technologies that support national security, defence and law enforcement.
Dr Fabri officially assumed the role on 11th May, succeeding George Williamson CMG, who has left the organisation to join the Alan Turing Institute.
Founded in 1938, HMGCC serves as the UK government's centre for national security engineering. Based at Hanslope Park, the organisation brings together engineers, scientists and technologists to develop specialist tools and technologies designed to help safeguard the UK.
Although HMGCC operated largely out of the public eye for much of its 88-year history, the organisation has increasingly opened its doors to collaboration with industry and academia through initiatives such as HMGCC Co Creation, which seeks innovative solutions to national security challenges.
Dr Fabri joined HMGCC in 2023, where he led the organisation's product and engineering teams. During his tenure, he oversaw significant changes to the way HMGCC designs and delivers technology, helping strengthen its ability to respond to rapidly evolving security threats.
Prior to joining HMGCC, Dr Fabri built a career spanning both academia and industry. He held senior positions across the telecommunications, energy and automotive sectors before moving into leadership roles at Amazon.
Commenting on his appointment, Dr Fabri said he was taking on the role during a period of both "significant challenge and opportunity" for the organisation.
"Technology and national security are becoming ever more closely linked, and that intersection sits at the heart of HMGCC's mission," he said.
"I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the work we do and the impact it has on the UK's security and defence capability."
As Chief Executive, Dr Fabri will focus on further strengthening HMGCC's technical expertise, deepening partnerships with industry and academia, and ensuring the organisation continues to deliver advanced capabilities for the national security community.
Highlighting HMGCC's position within the Oxford–Cambridge growth corridor, Dr Fabri said the organisation was well placed to work alongside partners across the UK to strengthen the country's national security technology base.
