Vice Admiral Robert Sharp (retired)
Former Director
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
Robert (Bob) Sharp is a retired US Navy Vice Admiral with decades of leadership experience in the intelligence, defence, and national security arenas. With an ongoing commitment to developing and communicating strategic vision by aligning resources and cross-functional teams, Bob now advises organisations on how to deliver on their priority goals.
As the former National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Director, Vice Adm. Sharp stands as a visionary leader at the forefront of strategy, planning and thought leadership in the realm of geospatial intelligence (GEOINT). During his tenure at the NGA, Vice Adm Sharp drew on decades of strategic planning and operational expertise to oversee the agency's geospatial intelligence efforts.
In tandem with his remarkable 30 plus years across the US Naval Forces, Vice Adm. Sharp embodies an understanding of the critical role that foundational technology such as GIS holds in shaping and protecting sovereign nation's national interests.
Vice Adm. Sharp’s previous operational tours include deployments with USS Ranger (CV 61), Carrier Air Wing 2 embarked on USS Constellation (CV 64) and Carrier Group 2 embarked onboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Additionally, he conducted multiple deployments to Afghanistan as Director for Intelligence (J2) of a special operations task force, leading joint, inter-agency intelligence professionals supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. During his career, Vice Adm. Sharp was also deployed to Bahrain for two years where he helped lead multinational Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) operations, orchestrating the collaborative maritime operations of 38 member nations to include participation from the Royal Singapore Navy.
Vice Adm. Sharp graduated from the University of the South Pacific with a Bachelor of Arts in English and was commissioned through Officer Candidate School in 1988. He holds a Naval War College diploma and was awarded a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 2008.