Duncan Moss awarded OBE in the King's Birthday Honours list
Press Office
Duncan Moss FRICS, a Principal Geospatial Consultant at Ordnance Survey (OS), has been honoured with an OBE for services to technical consultancy and government resilience.
Duncan joined OS in 1986 and has led OS’s geospatial customer support for the resilience of the country's most high-profile national events over the past 20 years. These events include the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, two Commonwealth Games, other sporting events, major political summits and Operation London Bridge in preparation for the State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Over the last two decades Duncan has worked closely with a wide range of UK public sector partners and international allies to convene a collaborative community of interest focused on using the power of geography to deliver a shared common operating picture and situational awareness.
Duncan has been active in the development of government resilience at a national and local level. From supporting Cabinet Office, including the recently established National Situation Centre, to working with a number of Local Resilience Forums around the country to better use geospatial capabilities for emergency preparedness and response.
"Duncan is a fantastic example of an individual that is truly aligned to the long-standing values of Ordnance Survey. He goes above and beyond his call of duty and it is wonderful to see him honoured with an OBE for his exceptional contribution. His experience and achievements alone showcase the impact he has had across OS, wider government and the country. However, it is his established relationships with past and present colleagues, and how highly they speak of him, that truly proves what an asset he has been through his 39-year career here. Congratulations Duncan!"
Duncan has long been a strong supporter of ‘Mapping for Emergencies’ (MfE) a critical service provided by OS for over 30 years. For example, Duncan was deployed during 2001 to provide geospatial support for the Foot and Mouth outbreak to the then Scottish Executive. He has been involved in leading many MfE responses as well as encouraging other geospatial professionals to take part in this important 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year service.
Since 2022 Duncan has been representing OS as part of the Natural Hazards Partnership (NHP) where he sits as part of the Management Team and co-chairs its Hazard Impacts Science to Services Group (HIS2G). Working with expert colleagues Duncan has overseen the redesign and delivery of a new version of the Daily Hazard Assessment and is now working on how this could be further digitally enabled in future. As Duncan is based in Scotland, his work with the NHP has led him to become involved with the Scottish National Centre for Resilience which focuses on improving country-wide resilience to natural hazards.
Recognising that resilience is much wider than dealing with acute challenges, Duncan has also been closely involved in OS’s work to support Scotland’s Dynamic Coast which is concerned with increasing coastal erosion, sea level rise and coastal flood impacts caused by climate change. Dynamic Coast is a collaborative partnership working to develop the mitigation and adaptation measures that will be required over the short, medium and long term, and geography is key to this vital work.
"I have been privileged to have been involved in a unique mix of major events, some very poignant moments and various crises in our nation’s history. I am proud to have played a leading role in growing the use of geospatial data and demonstrating the value it can deliver to many different scenarios and problems. I have worked with some amazing people and teams and one thing I’ve learnt is that strong partnerships and collaborations are essential in all resilience and emergency situations. None of this would have been possible without the support of exceptionally talented and committed colleagues, both from across the UK and our international allies, and those leaders who gave me the opportunities. Whilst I am deeply humbled to receive this honour, this is equally a recognition for the entire OS team and colleagues everywhere with whom I have the pleasure to work with. Thank you all for your support, dedication and friendship."
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