from July 1997 to December 1999. In 2000, Leakey attended the Royal College of Defence Studies. He was Chief of Staff at Headquarters Northern Ireland from February to December 2001. He was promoted to major general on 15 December 2001. From December 2001 to October 2004, he was Director General of Army Training and Recruiting. On 6 October 2004, he was appointed Commander of European Union Force Althea, the European Union peacekeeping force, which replaced the NATO-led SFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was promoted to lieutenant general on 28 February 2007. From 1 March 2007 until 2010, he was Director General of the European Union Military Staff in Brussels. Leakey retired from the military on 22 September 2010. Later life Leakey was appointed as Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod in the House of Lords from February 2011 to December 2017. In early 2020 Leakey argued strongly against former Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow being appointed to the House of Lords, accusing him of bullying and explosive behaviour. Shadow Home Secretary and Member of Parliament Diane Abbott has defended Bercow, stating that as a military man, Leakey was "unlikely to have been bullied by Bercow". She was roundly criticized for these comments. Since retiring as Black Rod, Leakey has undertaken public speaking engagements including media appearances on radio and TV. He mentors senior executives and holds appointments in a number of business enterprises: Chief Strategy Officer of Scopeworker (a business management software service), Advisory Member of 2M Holdings Board (Chemicals and Gas Industry), a number of consultancy roles, and ambassador for the Hollie Gazzard Trust. Personal life Leakey was chairman of the National Children's Orchestra, but he resigned in June 2014. He was appointed a Governor of Sherborne School and Sherborne School Group in 2018 and chairman in July 2020. He is also a trustee of numerous other Charitable and not for profit organisations. He is an amateur piano player and singer. He is married with two sons. He enjoys classical music, playing squash, tennis, golf, most field sports, and chain sawing. Honours and awards Leakey was Colonel Commandant of the Royal Tank Regiment from 21 August 2006 to 30 July 2010 and previously Deputy Colonel Commandant since 16 July 1999. He is Honorary Colonel of the Dorset Yeomanry and Dorset Army Cadet Force as well as Colonel of Cadet Force Music. References External links David