Gittins studied mathematics at Cambridge U and obtained his PhD (supervised by Lindley, his research concerned optimal resource allocation) from University College, Aberystwyth. After working for the Steel Company of Wales, he joined the faculty at Oxford U in 1974, becoming Professor of Statistics in 1996. He was awarded the Guy Medal in Silver of the RSS in 1984.

http://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/people/associate_staff/john_gittins University website.