‘Istidrak’ means attaining knowledge, comprehension and deepening understanding.
At Istidrak, that’s what we’re about; helping you avoid making mistakes whilst helping businesses take advantage of the information they are sitting on.
Andrew McAleer
Andrew served for 14 years in the British Royal Air Force, where he became a recognised expert in Air Operations and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR).
A key part of his role involved leading in-depth After Action Reviews (AARs), identifying critical insights, and ensuring operational lessons were effectively captured, analysed, and disseminated.
He has been based in Abu Dhabi for over 12 years, Andrew brings deep expertise in aviation and unmanned aerial systems (UAVs / drones).
His background uniquely positions him to advise organisations across sectors on how to institutionalise learning and drive improvement through structured lessons learned processes.
Brigadier Botsford was instrumental in establishing the British Army’s Lessons Exploitation Centre (LXC) at a time when global operations generated a wealth of critical insights.
He led Army-wide After Action Reviews (AARs), conducted strategic trend analysis, and drove capability development initiatives—becoming a central figure in shaping the UK’s modern approach to institutional learning.
He later extended this expertise to Defence Procurement, where he led the UK’s procurement lessons process, ensuring continuous improvement in acquisition practices.
Now based in Abu Dhabi, Brigadier Botsford continues to champion knowledge exploitation and adaptive learning across defence and commercial sectors.
