Rear Admiral Ignacio Céspedes Camacho was born in Madrid on July 20th 1963. He joined the Spanish Navy in 1982 graduating as LTJG in 1987.
As an officer, he embarked on the destroyer “Churruca” (1987-1988), minesweeper “Sil” (1988-1990), frigate “Numancia” (1991-1994), Combat Assessment and Certification Centre “CEVACO” (1994-1996) as an initial crew and on the transport of attack “Aragón” (1996-1998).
His main ashore appointments have been in the Navy Staff, as a Liaison Officer with the Spanish Army (2000-2002) and in the Strategic Plans Section of the Plans Division (2002-2003).
He has also served as a professor at the Military Higher Studies School of the Armed Forces “ESFAS” (2005-2008), returning to the Navy Staff, in the Organic Plans Section of the Plans Division (2008), Technical Cabinet of the Minister of Defense as Counsellor in the area of Parliament (2008-2011) and has finally served as Chief of the Cabinet for Logistics Studies in the Auxiliary Department of the Logistics Support Command of the Navy (2012-2016).
He has participated in the embargo operations in the Adriatic, “Sharp Guard”, in the humanitarian aid operation “Alba”, in the operation “Active Endeavour” during the second Gulf War and in the operation of embargo to Libya “Unified Protector”.
He was appointed as Commanding Officer of the minesweeper “Genil” (1998-1999), of the Flagship for MCM operations “Diana” (2003-2004) and of the frigate F-100 Class “Admiral Juan de Borbón” (2011-2012). He has also been the Commander of CEVACO (2016-2019). He was Chief Admiral of General Services and Technical Assistance (2019-2020) and Commander of the Amphibious and Projection Group (2020-2022). He was appointed as Chief of Staff for NATO Joint Force Command Norfolk in July 2022.
He is a specialist in ASW Weapons and has a Military Staff Diploma. He has been awarded with several national and international military decorations.
He is married and has three children.