Our leadership team
Our leadership team comprises our 'Executive Leadership Team' and our 'Senior Leadership Team'. Between them, they're dedicated to guiding the shape and direction of our service and ensuring that we’re meeting our legal responsibilities.
To find out more about leadership team members and their roles and responsibilities, click/tap their bios below.
Assistant Chief Fire Officer
Richard Stanton
Executive Leadership Team
Preferred pronouns
He/Him/His
He/Him/His
Skill set and experience
Richard is responsible for several people-related functions, including People Support Services, Workforce Planning, recruitment and advancement, Learning and Development, and Diversity, Inclusion, Cohesion and Equality (DICE). He has wide-ranging experience in portfolio/project management, change and transformation, health and safety and incident command.
Professional qualifications or memberships
During his time in the fire service, Richard has completed two degrees at Coventry University - in Applied Leadership, and Management and Organisational Leadership
Interests and hobbies
Richard is a proud father of four children, a patron of a children's charity and keen motorsport enthusiast.
Work history
His fire and rescue service career has spanned more than two decades. He began as a firefighter in Coventry. Later, as Station Commander, he worked at four Birmingham fire stations, and in Specialist Response and Corporate Communications. He went on to become Group Commander (Operations) for Coventry, and Head of Portfolio.
He successfully was appointed to the role of Assistant Chief Fire Officer and Director for People in August 2023. Since April 2024, Richard remains Assistant Chief Fire Officer, but the responsibility for 'People' has transferred to Kelly Harding.