Former Commanding Officer of the Bermuda Regiment, Lt Col David Gibbons, has been appointed chair of its Defence Board and Promotions Board by the Governor, George Fergusson.

The appointment comes into effect on January 1 on the retirement of the current chair, Major Wendell Hollis.

Mr Fergusson said: “I am delighted that Lt Col Gibbons has accepted the role of chair of both the Defence Board and the Promotions Board of the Bermuda Regiment. “His vast experience, both as a former Commanding Officer of the Bermuda Regiment and as a current member of both Boards, will stand him in good stead.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to give my sincere thanks to Major Wendell Hollis for all his hard work and dedication to the Bermuda Regiment over the last 25 years and in particular to these two Boards. I have very much enjoyed working with him over the last two and a half years.”

Appointments to the Defence Board and the Promotions Board of the Bermuda Regiment are made by the Governor at his discretion under section five of the Defence Act 1965.

Major Hollis was appointed as a member of the Defence Board in 1989 and became its chair in 2010 as well as chair of the Promotions Board of the Bermuda Regiment.

Lt Col Gibbons was appointed a member of the Defence Board and the Promotions Board of the Bermuda Regiment in 2006. He was Commanding Officer of the Bermuda Regiment from 2000 to 2002.