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THE INVESTOR
INTERVIEW
L
amont Kirkland says that one of
the reasons he joined the army
was to pursue his interest in
sport. Now he is helping others
to do the same as founder and
chief executive of the charityTeamArmy.
Kirkland, who climbed to the rank of major
general, was commander of the army’s 4th
Division and chairman of the army’s winter
sports, rugby and boxing associations when
he realised that the success of sport in the
military depended on it becoming better
organised and better funded.
He says:‘I had just had a conversation with
a sponsor about rugby, then a week later met
him again to talk about funding for boxing. He
said: “Haven’t I just seen you?”, and I thought
there had to be a better way of doing things.’
This resulted inTeamArmy, which was set
up to raise funding for, and distribute money
to, serving men and women. Both serving
personnel and those who have recently
retired from the armed forces through
disability qualify for consideration.And it
covers a wide range of sports; the 52 sports
currently within its remit include paragliding,
kart racing and angling.
Unlike charities such as Help for Heroes,
TeamArmy helps fund those who are able-
bodied, as well as those who are disabled,
to compete in sport.Among those it has
supported are captain Heather Stanning, gold
medallist in the women’s coxless rowing pairs
at the 2012 Olympics, and sergeant Mick
Brennan, aTeam GB athlete and member of
the Combined Services Disabled SkiTeam
that took part in the 2014Winter Paralympics
in Sochi, Russia.
More than 100 serving personnel have
represented their country at elite level, but
most of those benefiting fromTeamArmy
sponsorship compete at grass roots.
The armed forces place a high value on
sport. General Sir Nicholas Carter, chief of
the general staff, says:‘My starting point is
that it helps our army win in battle. It plays
a vital role in welfare, morale, operational
effectiveness and recovery. Sport produces
soldiers who build and lead
teams by habit and reflex.
‘It generates and
maintains cohesion. It
nurtures pride and that
essential corollary –
humility. It encourages
leaders to think clearly,
confidently and positively
when under pressure.And
fundamentally it feeds a
winning culture and ethos
that inspire hunger for
success on the battlefield.’
Kirkland has experienced
these benefits at first hand.
He joined the army straight
from school, training at the
Royal Military Academy,
Sandhurst, before taking
a commission as second
lieutenant with the Royal
Engineers. He played
hockey and rugby; and he
represented Scotland at
junior level in athletics –
sprinting and field events.
During his first few
years in the army he pursued
his sporting interests,
representing Hampshire in
both athletics and rugby.And
he was offered the chance to
play rugby for the England
Under 23s.‘I turned it down
because I am Scottish. Not
playing rugby at international level is one of
my lifelong regrets,’ he says.
After 12 years with the Royal Engineers,
Kirkland suffered a career crisis.‘I wanted to
spend my career at the sharp end – where the
opportunities lay. My instinct told me to get
close to the front line.’
He transferred to the
infantry in 1991, serving
in the Falklands, Northern
Ireland, Sierra Leone and
the Balkans before returning
to the UK to oversee
operations in the Balkans.
He took command of the
4th Division in 2008 and
worked onTeamArmy in his
‘spare time’ for a year before
deciding that serving at a
senior level and running
an organisation with a
£1 million turnover was not
a comfortable combination.
The early years were
nerve-wracking; he risked
£250,000 of his own money
on hiring Chelsea FC’s
Stamford Bridge for the
first fundraising event in
2010 – a boxing night. In
fact the night, organised
with help from major Simon
Roffey, now anAssociate
Partner with St. James’s
Place and Kirkland’s financial
adviser, covered its costs
and raised £100,000 to help
launchTeamArmy. But the
experience persuaded him to
set up a limited company –
Ethos – to absorb trading and
reputational risks.
Born 10 August 1957
Educated at Strathallan School,
Scotland, followed by training
at the Royal Military Academy,
Sandhurst
Commissioned to the Royal
Engineers as a second lieutenant
in October 1976; promoted to
lieutenant in March 1978, captain
in September 1982 and major in
September 1989
Transferred to the Green
Howards in December 1991,
(and was promoted to lieutenant
colonel on appointment as
commanding officer of the
Green Howards in June 1994)
Appointed an Officer of the
Order of the British Empire (OBE)
in December 1997 for his service in
the former Yugoslavia
Promoted to colonel in June
2000, and brigadier in June 2003
In the 2005 New Year’s
Honours he was promoted to
Commander of the Order of the
British Empire (CBE)
Became commander of the
4th Division in November 2008,
receiving promotion to major
general; he also became chairman
of the winter sports, rugby and
boxing associations
Retired from the army in
January 2012 to become full-time
CEO of Team Army
Married, with two children,
a working cocker spaniel and
a Harley-Davidson
CV
After a stellar career, major general Lamont Kirkland CBE left the army to
become CEO of TeamArmy, funding competitive sport in the armed forces
By Jill Insley
general investment
Harry Borden
