UCL Institute for Security & Resilience Studies

Douglas graduated from the University of Leeds in 1975 before starting his career as an electronics design engineer with the Racal Electronics Group. During his eleven years at Racal he had various posts working on digital control and signal processing, radio systems, radar, precision navigation and sonar systems.

In 1986, he moved to Schlumberger as Engineering Manager of its radar simulation business and was subsequently recruited by Dowty (in 1988) to be the Engineering Director of its Sonar & Communication Systems business. In 1992, he was promoted to Managing Director of that business and, after participating in the management buy-out that formed Ultra Electronics in October 1993, he joined the Group’s board.

Ultra Electronics is an internationally successful defence, security, transport and energy company

In April 2000, he was promoted to the position of Managing Director of Ultra’s Information & Power Systems division. In April 2004 he was appointed Chief Operating Officer and became Chief Executive in April 2005. At the company’s AGM in April 2011 he retired from the role of Chief Executive and  was voted in as Chairman of the Board of Ultra Electronics Holdings plc.

In the Queen’s New Year’s honours list 2009 he was made a CBE for his services to the UK defence industry