Welcome to Paul Burke, our new Chief Digital and Information Officer

I am delighted Paul has joined the Executive Team to develop and implement the organisation's digital and data strategy, outlined in One Crew, One Plan: RNLI 2026-30.

I would also like to take a moment to reiterate my sincere thanks to Rodney Eaglesfield who has very capably held the fort as Interim Chief Information Officer since last September; laying solid foundations for the future and implementing the Information and Digital Services’ activity outlined in the 2025 Annual Plan. Rodney will provide essential support, expertise and knowledge of the RNLI to Paul as he returns to his ‘Head of’ responsibilities within the Senior Leadership Team.

We have set a bold and ambitious head mark for the future and need to transform this cherished institution, which is still largely analogue in nature, into a forward-looking, service-oriented enterprise that exploits fully the opportunities that digital technology and a more data-driven approach will afford us. Our amazing volunteers give their time and energy freely, and our staff are committed to supporting them as best as we possibly can. We need to reduce the operating friction our people encounter and enable them to be more effective, safer, and sustainable in future – technology is a key driver in making this possible.

About Paul

Paul is a proven transformation leader with a deep operational understanding and a consistent track record of modernising complex organisations. He has spent the last 8 years delivering a full enterprise transformation for Rotork, a market-leading global provider of mission-critical intelligent flow control solutions, where he moved the organisation from a highly acquisitive, decentralised and largely analogue environment to a digital-first, cloud-enabled and data-driven business. This included implementing global enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM) and data platforms, introducing AI and advanced analytics, and digitising manufacturing, supply chain and customer engagement.

Prior to this, he held senior leadership roles at BAE Systems where he led large-scale defence transformation programmes, including the digitisation of fleet management for fast jet operations, moving from paper-based processes to fully digital, data-enabled systems.

As a former Royal Marine Reservist, Paul brings a strong appreciation for frontline, mission-led environments, discipline and teamwork. He lives near Bath with his wife, Marianne, and has two adult children.

Paul is particularly motivated by the mission-critical nature of the RNLI, which closely mirrors the environments he has chosen throughout his career, including defence and safety-critical industrial settings. He has deliberately built his career around organisations where failure has real-world consequences, aligning closely with the RNLI’s lifesaving mission.

I am confident that the Information and Digital Services directorate is in great hands under Paul’s leadership as we progress the Digital Transformation Programme and develop a Service-Led Operating Model to better support our frontline users. He is greatly looking forward to getting out and about over the coming months, spending time with our teams at the Lifesaving Support Centre in Poole, and across our six lifesaving regions.

Peter Sparkes, RNLI Chief Executive.