Mark “Skip” Skipper is the Director of RAND Europe’s Data Science Lab. He brings fourteen years of public-sector experience across defence and environmental domains. He specialises in counter‑proliferation, Open source intelligence (OSINT), strategic reporting, and data analytics.
He led the UK MOD’s OSINT Mission Team to support military operations, contributed to the UK’s COVID‑19 response through medical intelligence, and assisted a number of civil emergencies and police investigations. He has worked to advance the MOD’s use of social media, dark web, and corporate data sources, and strengthened governance and policy for OSINT.
Skipper previously managed Defra’s Strategic Data Analysis Team, delivering analytics for key governance functions such as the Outcome Framework, Security Reporting Board, and counter‑fraud initiatives. He also led generative AI trials and supported the development of Defra’s AI policy.
Skipper’s current focus is on expanding RAND Europe’s data science capabilities. He is advancing the use of emerging technologies and methods, including applied AI, sentiment analysis, dashboard and app development. He is also working to onboard and leverage novel data sources and improve how existing data libraries are used.
He earned his B.Sc. in mathematics from the University of Plymouth.
Education
B.Sc. (Hons) in mathematics, University of Plymouth