Our New President
The Navy League of Panama is proud to announce its new President, Lieutenant Commander Stephen Harrison-Thomas PhD DSC, Royal Navy (Retired). His appointment was made official on September 4, 2025, during a special ceremony held aboard the U.S. Coast Guard’s iconic training ship Eagle.
Born in Yorkshire, United Kingdom, Stephen’s early life was far from ordinary. With his father serving in the Army, the family moved constantly, including several formative years in Malaysia, before finally settling back in the UK. By the time he finished his schooling, he had attended an astonishing fifty schools—an upbringing that taught him adaptability, resilience, and a unique ability to thrive in ever-changing environments.
At the age of 17, Stephen joined the Royal Navy, quickly distinguishing himself as the youngest officer in the British Armed Forces at the time. Trained at the Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) and later as a Fleet Air Arm pilot, he soon found himself thrust into the heat of battle during the Falklands War. Over the course of 51 combat missions—including ten flown at night—he achieved three confirmed aerial victories: a Mirage IIIEA on May 1, 1982, and two Daggers on May 21, 1982. For his courage and skill in the South Atlantic, Stephen was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in October 1982, one of the UK’s highest decorations for gallantry.
Cocaine Skies
Following the conflict, Stephen became a test pilot and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Commander before eventually leaving the Navy. His career then took him into the skies once again—this time as an airline pilot with Air UK and later KLM, flying long-haul routes across South America.
Adventure called again in the 1990s when he accepted a remarkable opportunity in Colombia, where he operated up to 24 aircraft in high-risk anti-narcotics operations. His daring work during this period—documented in his book Cocaine Skies—brought him face-to-face with cartel activity, but also something far more life-changing: it was in Colombia that he met the love of his life, whom he married in 1999.
At his wife’s wise urging to “find a job where people aren’t trying to kill you every day,” Stephen relocated to Barcelona. There he pursued higher education, earning his MBA and later a PhD in Education Management. His passion for teaching and innovation in learning led him to become a university professor and ultimately the founder of the Swiss School of Business Research (SSBR), a pioneering online private university based in Switzerland that today welcomes students from across the globe.
Panama
In 2020, Stephen moved to Panama, both for its strategic proximity to Colombia and as a vibrant base for his academic and professional pursuits. Over the years, he has published several books on education and aviation, including Cocaine Skies, blending gripping personal narrative with professional insight.
Now, as President of the Navy League Panama, Stephen brings his wealth of experience, leadership, and international outlook to the service of the League’s mission: supporting maritime traditions, fostering community, and strengthening ties between Panama, the United States, and allied naval forces. His journey—from a Yorkshire childhood to naval combat, test piloting, anti-narcotics operations, academia, and finally the presidency of the Navy League—embodies resilience, service, and a lifelong commitment to leadership.
The Navy League of Panama warmly welcomes Lieutenant Commander Stephen Harrison-Thomas PhD DSC as its new President and looks forward to the dynamic vision he will bring to the chapter in the years ahead.