Neil began his firefighting career in 1991 and has worked in three different services before becoming Assistant Chief Officer (Community Safety) at Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service in 2012. As Deputy Chief and Director of Service Delivery in 2014, Neil was in charge of community safety, response, and resilience, as well as frontline response, prevention, safe & well visits, and community self-help plans. In January 2018, Neil was appointed Chief Fire Officer of Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service and the Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service.

In addition to his role as CFO, Neil is the UK National Fire Chief’s Council Chairman for the Prevention Committee, assisting fire departments across the country in preventing fires and other emergencies. He is also a trustee of the Blue Lamp Trust, which was established to promote and improve community safety across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Neil has recently chaired the Strategic Coordinating Group (SCG) in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to ensure an effective multi-agency response to COVID-19.