Joanne Hamer
Director Euro-Atlantic Security at the UK Ministry of Defence
Joanne Hamer, MBE, assumed the post of Director Euro-Atlantic Security in January 2024. She is responsible for maintaining and developing relationships with key strategic partners and allies through bilateral defence-to-defence relationships or in multilateral fora such as NATO, the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), and the EU, as well as developing and delivering policy to counter Russia and leading the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) work to support Ukraine. She was the Head of Euro-Atlantic Security Policy, a joint MoD and Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) unit leading on UK policies on NATO, the EU, and OSCE. Ms Hamer was formerly the Head of International and Industrial Capability Strategy and worked at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom as the inaugural Head of the Development Faculty. She led the Ukraine Team in the MoD with responsibility for shaping the UK Defence policy and contribution to Operation ORBITAL. This followed a secondment as the Head of Maritime Security in the FCDO’s Security Policy Department. She worked as the Policy Advisor (POLAD) to the European Union’s Operation ATALANTA. She has also operated as the Brigade POLAD in Iraq and the Policy and Plans Officer providing support to the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus. In addition to an MBA, she also holds an MA in Defence Studies from King’s College London.
Updated: November 10, 2025