Major General Anna-Lee Reilly, DE&S Head of Strategic Capability, Engagement and Operations, has been awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Maj Gen Anna-Lee is one of 71 eminent Fellows elected this year, representing the nation’s very best engineering researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, business and industry leaders.

Maj Gen Anna-Lee’s Defence career began in 1997, when she attended the Sandhurst Royal Military Academy. A year later, she was commissioned into the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME). It was here that she first found her passion for engineering and started a journey that would take her all over the world, ultimately leading to her being awarded this prestigious Fellowship.

Today, Anna-Lee is responsible for supporting UK troops deployed overseas, co-ordinating the MOD’s support to Ukraine, with a focus on gifting and supporting equipment and developing industrial production, leading the replenishment and resilience of British equipment and munitions.

Major General Anna-Lee Reilly CB, FREng, said: “I am honoured to have been selected as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering this year. I have had a fabulous career in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, and I am now working at Defence Equipment & Support where I get to continue my engineering journey.

“I have had a varied military career of which I am incredibly proud. As a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, I hope to give as much as I can back to my profession, bringing all this experience together to help shape the future of the industry, encouraging the next generation of military and civilian engineers to fulfil their potential and find solutions to real world challenges.”

Founded in 1976, the Academy promotes the engineering and technological welfare of the country. Many of the Founding Fellows of the Academy had wartime experience. Some in World War One, more in World War Two, and several had key roles in supporting Britain during wartime, and in later post-war recovery.

Famous Founding Fellows include Sir Frank Whittle, aeronautical engineer, credited with inventing the first turbojet engine, Lord Hinton, pioneering nuclear engineer, and Sir Barnes Wallis, aeroengineer, aircraft designer and inventor of the ‘bouncing bomb’ used in the ‘Dambusters’ raid.

The first woman to be elected as a Fellow was naval radar and torpedo guidance pioneer Dr Elizabeth Killick in 1982, paving the way for esteemed engineers such as Anna-Lee.

Andy Start, DE&S CEO, said: “I would like to congratulate Anna-Lee on being elected as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. This is testament to her unique capabilities, exemplary engineering and Defence career achievements to date. I have no doubt that her contribution to the Academy will be both remarkable and inspiring.”

In joining the Fellowship, Anna-Lee will help to achieve the Academy’s overarching strategic goal of harnessing the power of engineering to create a sustainable society and an inclusive economy for all.

Professor Sir Jim McDonald FREng FRSE, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said: “Our new Fellows represent some of the most talented people in the world of engineering and are taken from the ranks of those who are aiming to address some of our most critical problems.

“We are proud to say that many of our newly elected Fellows have come from underrepresented groups in engineering and related sectors and we hope this helps to tackle some of the issues around a lack of diversity within the profession.”

Colonel Iain Wallace OBE ADC, CREME, added: “We are delighted to see Major General Anna-Lee Reilly achieving such well-deserved recognition for her outstanding abilities that were founded in the REME. Being a professional engineering Corps, ensuring the engineering competence and accreditation of our talented people is vital. This achievement is a huge inspiration; congratulations from all of us.”