John Barrett is the General Manager at Garamba. This position incorporates both the park and the expanding Greater Garamba interventions that form part of the 11th EDF funding. John retired from the British Army in March 2016 where he had a full, varied and operationally focused career in many regions of the world. He has extensive exposure to a wide spectrum of the security risk portfolio particularly in high-threat environments. He has considerable experience at international, diplomatic and ministerial engagement. His last appointment was on secondment to a foreign government in the Middle East as an advisor for security related issues. He has held numerous leadership roles and has broad managerial experience. He has had experience in Africa and had formed an emotional attachment to the work of species protection, and therefore the step to join African Parks at Garamba was an easy one.