Our authors

Philip is a journalist and consultant who has built on a long and senior military career in intelligence, counterintelligence and security, and as an operational planner. A global mainstream media commentator, he presents Frontline for Times Radio, is a published author, and his business experience comes from a board level sales and marketing role in steel manufacturing, setting the conditions for a £100million+ business from scratch, his own businesses and a media company. Philip has presented on Sky News, Talk TV and Times Radio and commentated across BBC TV, Sky News and international networks including Al Zazeera, TRT World, CNN, ABC, CBC, and Japanese NTV. Having presented INTERPOL World TV and featured in several major TV programmes, Philip is frequently quoted in the mainstream press and is a prolific PODCASTer.

James was a Member of Parliament from 1997 to 2024, with a long-standing interest in defence, polar affairs, and international security. He began his career in the City’s shipping industry before becoming a government Special Adviser. In Parliament, James served as Shadow Defence Minister, founded the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Armed Forces, and chaired key inquiries into Arctic and Antarctic defence and environmental strategy. A graduate of the Royal College of Defence Studies, he represented the UK at leading international polar forums and sat on the Arctic Circle’s Advisory Council. James served for seven years in the Honourable Artillery Company, and his extensive travels across the polar regions inspired several books, including Poles Apart and In the Land of the Great Bear. He won the RCDS Prize for Crown vs Parliament and continues to write on military, constitutional, and geopolitical issues.

Dr. Windi Muziasari is a microbiologist and entrepreneur specializing in environmental antimicrobial resistance (AMR) monitoring. She holds a Ph.D. and PostDoc from the University of Helsinki, focusing on antibiotic resistance in aquatic environments. As the Founder and CEO of Resistomap Oy, she integrates microbial ecology and data science to advance AMR surveillance. Under her leadership, Resistomap has analyzed over 20,000 samples from 50 countries, supporting more than 400 projects. A strong advocate for the One Health approach, Dr. Muziasari promotes innovative solutions and sustainable practices to mitigate the spread of antimicrobial resistance globally.

Former CIA Senior Operations Officer James Acuna has 30+ years of experience spanning various sectors of government and corporate enterprise including advanced technology, foreign policy, UAS/CUAS expertise in the EMEA theater, special operations, emerging technologies and markets, geopolitics, and intelligence operations in Eurasia and central Asia. James is Founder of the Baltic Ghost Wing Center of Excellence, providing training based on proven aerial combat techniques adapted for unmanned systems, ensuring a blend of technical proficiency and tactical acumen. He is also a member of the European Defense Investor Network, and Vice President Business Strategy at Verde Magnesium.

Dorottya is a graduate student at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, specialising in the intersection of national security and technology. Her thesis explores the military applications of AI, with a particular emphasis on Human-Machine Teaming. She has held multiple roles in the defence tech sector, most recently as a Programme Analyst at Helsing, a leading European defence tech company developing AI solutions for the military. Dorottya serves as a Lead for Special Projects at the Oxford Emerging Threats Group and previously worked as a consultant for 21strategies, a German firm specializing in deep tech and third-wave AI applications for defence.

Robert Courts KC is a leading expert in military aviation and airpower, with extensive experience in UK defence policy, parliamentary oversight, and international collaboration. As a member and then Chair of the House of Commons Defence Select Committee, Robert led scrutiny of RAF combat air programmes, procurement, and sustainment challenges. He played a pivotal role in shaping the UK’s Combat Air Strategy, driving the 2018 MoD strategy that laid the foundation for Tempest and GCAP. A Royal College of Defence Studies graduate, and former Aviation Minister, Robert now leads Ascalane Partners, advising on combat air policy, regulation, and emerging technologies.

Matthew is the operations officer for Army Futures Command Forward Element – Atlantic (AFE-ATL). Matt’s work supports the U.S. Army’s only science and technology, basic and applied research team conducting continuous outreach to academia, private industry, and government partners in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He is also a commissioned Civil Affairs officer in the United States Army Reserves and pursuing an MBA at Imperial College London.

Dr. Patrick Fowler has a PhD & MS from Penn State where he worked on vision-based alternative navigation. Upon graduation, Dr. Fowler became a program manager for the US Army Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate. He has more than 15 years’ experience in technical development for international Special Operations Forces. His work took him to Afghanistan twice, once with the Rapid Equipping Force, and with USSOCOM in 2020. In 2021, he became the Global Technology Advisor for DEVCOM C5ISR in London, UK responsible for tech scouting. He currently works as the Technical Manager for International Business at Rhea Space Activity.

Tony is a UAS Remote Pilot & Fixed-Wing drone operator with over 30 years of experience in policing, military, and private security. As the Drone Lead for London Search and Rescue (LONSAR), he has been instrumental in establishing its drone capabilities since 2021. His expertise in strategic planning, tactical operations, and regulatory compliance ensures efficient aerial support for high-risk missing person searches. Tony navigates London's complex airspace, securing permissions for rapid drone deployment. A pioneer in commercial drone technology, he advances UAS applications with innovative solutions, enhancing operational effectiveness in drone missions.

Sir Julian Brazier is a fellow at RUSI and an adviser at Tyburn St Raphael, a boutique cyber protection company. He is a former MoD minister and member of the Parliamentary Defence Select Committee.

Sid is the Service Delivery Lead for Futures Lab, part of Future Capability Innovation within DE&S. His operational improvement and business transformation track-record spans across a number of sectors in UK and Asia over the last 26 years. His experience is ably supported by qualifications in Industrial Engineering, MBA, and certifications of Lean 6σ Black Belt and Prince II Practitioner. At the forefront of delivering comprehensive transformation services, he leverages skills in optimisation to drive efficiency and value creation. Sid helps integrate capabilities across Product, Process, People, Data, and Technology solutions and champions Benefit Articulation framework within Defence.

Dr. Sarah Tzinieris is a Lecturer at the Centre for Science and Security Studies in the Department of War Studies at King's College London. She holds a PhD and MPhil in International Relations from the University of Cambridge. Sarah’s research interests are wide-ranging but most recently she has focused on the AUKUS security pact, coercive diplomacy, the weaponisation of supply chains, all within the framework of US-China strategic competition.

Ansel Bayly is a Research Assistant at the Centre for Science & Security Studies in the Department of War Studies at King's College London. He is currently studying for a Liberal Arts BA majoring in Politics at King’s. His research interests include US-China strategic competition and the geopolitics of the green transition.

Fox is a London-based defence analyst within the Aerospace, Defence & Security (ADS) division at GlobalData Plc, a leading data and analytics company. Here, Fox researches emerging military technologies and forecasts the defence spending of NATO allies. Prior to this role, Fox earned an MA from the Department of War Studies at King’s College London, where he studied National Security and Grand Strategy. Originally from Fort Worth, Texas, Fox is building a career with the aspiration to one day work for the US Policy Planning Staff, which serves to advise the Secretary of State.

Mark Melhorn, BEng (Hons), MSc, is the Chief Operating Officer of Overwatch Group, a British defence company delivering autonomous precision strike systems. He is a former Lieutenant Colonel who served for over two decades in the Infantry (Rifles) including 9 operational tours. When not with soldiers, he specialised in Defence Capability including appointments planning and delivering capability within Special Projects, Fin Mil Cap and DE&S, before concluding his career as the MA to the Minister for Defence Procurement. Overwatch Group consists of Overwatch Aerospace Ltd and Overwatch Energetics Ltd.

Pierre-Adam is a student at King’s College London’s Department of War Studies, and is currently serving as Vice-President of its Intelligence and Security Society. Previously, he served as an Emergency Medical Technician in the Singapore Armed Forces, and has professional experience in geopolitical risk, crisis and strategic communications. Eager to build a career in defence and security, Pierre-Adam’s research mainly focuses on the national security implications of emerging technologies, but he holds an ever-growing interest in the geopolitics of oil, energy and critical minerals, particularly in Latin America.

Air Marshal Andrew Turner CB CBE FRAeS CMgr CCMI, is an investor and director in quantum, AI, space, national security and renewable technology companies. He served for four decades in the Royal Air Force. A battlefield and special forces helicopter pilot, he commanded at every level on 19 operational tours across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas. His senior appointments included Chancellor of the UK defence technical university, the head of UK military planning, the Director General of global military operations, the UK senior advisor in the Whitehouse and Pentagon and the Deputy Commander of the Air Force.

Dom is the co-founder of JD Marine International (JDMI), a company specialising in maritime unmanned systems for defence and law enforcement. Dom served 15 years of distinguished service in the Royal Marines where he developed extensive expertise in maritime intelligence working closely with Commando units and Special Forces. After leaving the military he led a private force of a thousand former commandos in armed deterrent missions against pirates in the Horn of Africa. An accomplished author and yacht racer, Dom has published two books detailing his maritime adventures and is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society for his marine expeditions in the Pacific, Atlantic, and the High Arctic.

Andy is a Customer Success Manager specialising in secure collaboration within the defence sector. Drawing on his background in geospatial data processing and legal technology solutions, he works with defence organisations to enable secure cross-organizational collaboration while maintaining robust information security standards. Andy’s expertise lies in helping organisations balance operational agility with appropriate security controls.

John is the BD Director at California-based Integrated Defense Accelerator, and is an expert in border security with experience spanning military and national security operations and delivering complex Defence and National Security projects in Africa and Asia. He was commissioned into the Royal Navy, serving on submarines and fleet ships, and completing roles at the UK’s Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ), Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC), and as a United Nations Military Observer. On leaving the forces, John became a diplomat with the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, spending significant time in North Africa and the Sahel region.

Abaigeal is a graduate of King’s College London Department of War Studies, holding a BA in International Relations. Her thesis focused on the extent to which replacing manned aerial vehicles with unmanned aerial vehicles is a financially and strategically viable option for the US Air Force. Abaigeal was previously President of the King’s College London Intelligence and Security Society, and Writer for the student-led publication, ‘Perspectives in Intelligence and Security.’

Sarah Duncan is a Senior Commercial Manager at Helsing, based in London. Throughout her career, she has worked in commercial leadership positions across the public and private sectors, supporting critical Defence programmes. Sarah is a passionate advocate for the adoption of cutting-edge digital technologies to enhance our armed forces.

Dr Andrew Curtis OBE is a defence academic, specialising in strategy, the higher management of defence, and military logistics. His research interests stem from his 35-year career as a Royal Air Force logistics officer, from which he retired in 2019 in the rank of air commodore. Andrew has a PhD in defence studies from King’s College London, is an Associate Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute, and an Associate at Cityforum. He is a regular contributor to defence commentary and debate, and is the author of two books: Understanding UK Military Capability (2022) and We need to talk about Defence (2024).

Ivan is the CEO & Co-founder of Buntar Aerospace, a defense tech startup focused on developing cutting-edge UAV systems and AI-driven solutions for reconnaissance. With a strong background in both the military and business sectors, Ivan brings valuable experience in driving innovation and growth. He has led Buntar Aerospace through various phases of product development, ensuring their solutions meet the evolving needs of the defense industry. Prior to founding Buntar, Ivan worked with several startups, honing his skills in business development, strategy, and leadership. His commitment is to push the boundaries of defense technology.

Andrei leads nexus. Group AI as its Founder & CEO, driving the development of innovative artificial intelligence solutions to improve strategic decision-making across various sectors. He is also the Founding President and Chairman of the Board at the Centre for Youth and International Studies (CYIS) which as a think-tank provides R&D on current and emerging threats. With a background as a Security and Defense Attaché at international organizations such as NATO and the EU, Andrei applies his extensive experience to enhance AI technologies that anticipate and mitigate strategic shocks to critical cross-sectoral & domain infrastructure.

Aaron recently graduated with an MPhil in International Relations from the University of Oxford, where his thesis research focused on the geopolitics of rare earth supply chains. He was previously Operations Officer at the Oxford Changing Character of War Center’s Emerging Threats Working Group, and is now a junior trader at the London-based minor metals trading firm Lipmann Walton & Co.

Ellen is the Founder of NEURO8, a company leveraging neuroscience, technology, and AI to optimise human performance as an antidote to digital fatigue. With over 30 years in communications, Ellen has led projects like CyberASAP and Plexal Grow, served as a visiting scholar, and worked with corporate clients and high-performance athletes. Ellen appeared at the first UK Special Forces Defence Expo and partnered with Ultra PCS Ltd on UltraNIMBUS 'thought control technology'. Ellen has also collaborated with US warfighters to help them 'fly a drone by thought alone,' enhancing their command and control by making their thoughts more repeatable and reliable using her F.I.T. (Focus Improvement Technique) programme.

Max manages key regional relationships and drives growth across EMEA governments for Ginkgo Biosecurity, a technology company offering next-generation biosecurity infrastructure to predict, detect, characterise and respond to a wide variety of biological threats. Previously, Max led European Mission Operations at Anduril Industries, Inc and started his career as a Royal Marines Commando, serving in multiple leadership roles across 3 Commando Brigade, before focusing on product management in optics, robotics and autonomy in the latter stage of his military service.

Wojtek drives the NIF’s technology adoption mission, advising deep-tech portfolio companies and working closely with Allied stakeholders to bring cutting-edge technology into NATO armed forces and defense industrial bases. Previously, Wojtek led AI weapons development programs at Helsing, focusing on the air, space, and intelligence domains. Prior to that, he was a corporate strategist at BAE Systems specializing in Europe, and at the EU Council working in counterterrorism and on the intersection of national security and advanced technologies. Wojtek holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Oxford and an MA in International Security from Sciences Po Paris.

Tom is the founder of cyber-tech startup Digility Ltd. He spent his early career in the Army delivering significant digital transformation – including to intelligence collection and analysis on operations in Kosovo – and as the staff officer responsible for information management and systems at HQ 1(UK) Armoured Division in Germany. Cyber security has dominated his professional life for the last decade, helping organisations across sectors to build security as a business enabler. Tom spent 8 years at Detica (now BAE Systems Applied Intelligence) and 3 at KPMG, before co-founding his first cyber-tech startup, C2 Risk.

Luca is the Chief Commercial Officer for Kahootz, now part of the CSI group, one of the world largest mission critical software companies and a key data partner to the UK MOD, NHS and Cabinet Office. Here he is supporting the growth of the critical sovereign capability within the Defence, National Security and Central Government sectors. Alongside this he is the co-founder of CASTAR, working to bridge the gap between government, deep-tech startups, and investors, a Board Director for Team Defence Information and a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

William, CEO of Closed Door Security, is a leading figure in the cybersecurity field and Scotland's first Chartered Cyber Security Professional (ChCSP). An elected member of the CREST Penetration Testing focus group, Wright has led security testing teams across multiple sectors for over a decade throughout the USA, UK and Middle east. His expertise in crafting sophisticated security strategies ensures protection for all organisations under his oversight.

Kiran, CEO and Founder of Intellium AI, has over 25 years experience in Enterprise software solutions, including previous experience as Head of Data Science at Airbus. Intellium AI is a UK sovereign SME based in Bristol that specialises in delivering complex AI projects for the Defence and Secure Government sectors, with a strong focus on AI Safety and assurance in critical operations.

SubSea Craft is a cutting-edge maritime technology company that is vertically integrated, enabling it to manage everything from initial concept to product delivery and ongoing through-life support. The Business Intelligence division at SubSea Craft is a comprehensive all-source collection team composed of former UK military, government, and security professionals. They combine insights from established global user networks with predictive intelligence analysis to drive foresight, identifying solutions for the novel and emerging challenges in today and tomorrow's maritime operating environments.

Gabriel Engel is the CEO and co-founder of Rocket.Chat, a secure and compliant communications platform used by defense and government organizations. Gabriel founded Rocket.Chat in 2015 and is passionate about collaboration tools, open-source, and new tech. Prior to Rocket.Chat, Gabriel co-founded Konecty, and worked as Product Manager for Business Innovation and Mobile Applications at Vodafone Global Enterprise.

Calum Bartlett has extensive experience across the defence, healthcare and media industries. A former BBC Researcher, Calum joined the British Army as a combat medic and deployed to Germany and Afghanistan. He returned to research work with the BBC and other international media companies before joining RAIN Defense+AI as RAINCLOUD Team Leader concentrating on defense technology and the applications of AI, and building RAINCLOUD - an exclusive global business and knowledge hub designed specifically for the Defense + AI ecosystem. It brings together a diverse and worldwide community of stakeholders, ranging from venture capital funds to startups, defense primes and manufacturers, military and intelligence personnel, research groups, scientists, and academics.

Stuart is the Head of Defence & Space at the National Composites Centre (NCC). With 15 years of experience in both the defence and civil aerospace sectors, Stuart has been at the forefront of integrating advanced composite materials and innovative technologies into a wide range of applications. He has worked closely with government bodies, leading defence primes, and innovative startups to drive advancements in defence capabilities. Stuart is a Chartered Engineer with an MEng in Aeronautical Engineering from Bristol University. His expertise lies in bridging the gap between traditional defence practices and cutting-edge technological innovations, ensuring that the UK remains a leader in defence and aerospace technology.

Chloe is a projects, strategic relationships and knowledge exchange manager at the University of Plymouth, with 15 years’ experience in the HE sector. Her role focuses on project delivery, research impact, stakeholder engagement and relationship management to improve global maritime cyber resilience and promote secure economic growth activities. The University of Plymouth is home to the Cyber-SHIP Lab, a world-first, hardware-based maritime cyber security research and development platform, bringing together connected ships’ operational systems, configurable in vessel-specific layouts, as required for in-depth cyber vulnerability testing. The Lab can effectively become a physical twin of any ship’s operational systems in terms of both IT and associated Operational Technology (OT). The scope of research spans vessels, port operations, ship/port interactions, autonomous and remote-controlled platforms, enabling the development of secure-by-design maritime systems across the whole supply chain.

Andrew is the Director General of Make UK Defence. He has been active in the defence and security sectors for some 30 years, working for FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 companies, two agencies of the Ministry of Defence and 7 years as an independent consultant, including a spell in the Cabinet Office. Andrew holds a BA in Business and Marketing from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh and an MSC in International Defence Marketing from Cranfield University / UK Defence Academy. As some readers will know, Make UK Defence is a national defence trade association deeply rooted in the world of mid-tiers and SMEs. It is the only UK Defence trade association to cap its subscriptions with the big prime contractors and it receives no Government funding. This enables Make UK Defence to be a truly independent voice in the UK, speaking truth to power with industry and Government alike. Make UK Defence is the lead trade association supporting the SME Working Group in the UK MOD’s Defence Suppliers Forum.

Natascha is a Lecturer in Crisis Management & Counterterrorism at the University of Lincoln and is a member of the University's Defence and Security Engagement Group. Natascha builds connections between academia and the military, the defence industry, and the Greater Lincolnshire Regional Defence and Security Cluster, training national and international organisations through the University's short courses, such as the Help-to-Grow Government scheme and diverse management programmes. With over a decade’s service in the German Air Force, Natascha specialised in Airbus Multi-Role-Transport-Tanker (MRTT) operations within the Executive Transport Wing of the Ministry of Defence covering cargo logistics, MedEvac, humanitarian aid, and air-to-air refuelling within NATO.

Ali is the founder at Resilient Operations, where he has brought a background in Data Engineering, Machine Learning and Insight Generation to design and build Human Performance solutions for the military, elite sports and extreme environment expeditions. He is a former Partner at Accenture where he led teams in the UK and Asia Pacific. He is former Head of Innovation at Global Business Services company Genpact where he developed the Genome Collective Intelligence Platform based on research and work done at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He is a former Infantry soldier and is fascinated by how to maximise human performance under pressure.

Sachin is Co-Founder and CEO of Volador FlyTech, developing eVTOL vehicles and technologies for Urban Air Mobility and Smart Cities. Sachin’s extensive background in Aircraft Wing Design and Jet Engine Optimization has seen him spearhead ambitious projects for industry leaders such as Airbus and Pratt & Whitney, and he has led teams of engineers in successfully conceptualizing, designing, and validating avant-garde electric aircraft. Sachin holds a Master's Degree in Aerospace Vehicle Design from Cranfield University and furthered his education in Corporate Strategy and Strategic Business Management at London Business School, with entrepreneurial skills honed at Cambridge University.

Professor Sir David Omand GCB is a visiting Professor in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London where he lectures to MA classes in Intelligence Studies. Sir David was the first UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator, responsible to the Prime Minister for the professional health of the intelligence community, national counter-terrorism strategy and “homeland security”. He served for seven years on the Joint Intelligence Committee, was Deputy Under Secretary of State for Policy in the Ministry of Defence, Director of GCHQ (the UK Sigint Agency) and Permanent Secretary of the Home Office.

Cameron is Chairman and CEO of Draganfly, the Canada and US based designer and manufacturer of custom airframes, payloads, and robotic systems for the military, public agencies and government sectors in North America. He has been a technology entrepreneur for more than 30 years and has spent his career growing a diverse collection of high-potential ideas into revolutionary companies that have changed the way we experience the world. Cameron takes a hands-on leadership role in projects, infusing innovation and adoption with the operational principles of clarity, alignment, and measurement into the culture of every team he works with.

Nick Ross has worked in leading technology companies for over 20 years, supporting customers on digital transformation including major government telecommunications delivery programmes. During a decade of service with the Army Reserve he deployed on operations, informing a keen interest in frontline user experiences of technology. Nick is Head of Public Sector UK&I at Pexip, a specialist in providing secure video software, where he works alongside defence and aerospace organisations to improve collaboration capabilities.

Chris is Managing Director of OPSEC CYBER PTE LTD (Singapore), a Cyber Security consultancy specializing in secure infrastructure, incident response and forensics. He holds an MSc in Advanced Cyber Security from King’s College London and has CISSP, CISA, CISM, EnCE, MCSE, and ISO27001 Lead Auditor certifications. Chris is also a British Army reservist, serving with Specialist Group Information Services (SGIS), 13 Signal Regiment.

Mercedes is Director of Exsel Group & Explora Security and a Research Fellow and Trustee of the Explora Foundation. For 20 years, Mercedes has been at forefront of research that affects how soldiers operate in the field, focused on situational awareness, cyber security and physical protection. Mercedes specialises in psychology and in-depth understanding of cultures, and provides unique lectures to NATO on psychological underpinnings of communication in multi-cultural contexts. Mercedes is currently pursuing a Masters in Terrorism and Counter Terrorism at Royal Holloway University of London.

Graeme is a Senior Security Engineer at Resilience based in London. He has extensive experience in cyber security consulting and risk management with a focus on critical national infrastructure and financial services. Prior to his time in consulting, Graeme served as a Royal Marines Commando specialising in secure data communication, and received a commendation in this role while on Operations in Afghanistan. He holds an MSc with distinction in Information Security from Royal Holloway, University of London and is GIAC & ISACA certified in industrial control system security (GICSP) and secure cloud computing architecture and audit (GCLD, GPCS, CCAK).

Dr. Kieran Bjergstrom is a founding director of Quantum Technologies Associates, a technology strategy and systems engineering consultancy with a wide associates network providing expertise in Quantum Technologies, PNT and advanced sensors, ISR, and emerging maritime domain capabilities especially for domain awareness. It offers strategy, business development, due diligencing services, and deep tech expertise.

Shana has driven NGO engagement and growth at The Wavell Room, a military think tank and military policy site focused on NATO and UK military strategy and foreign policy discussion, leading a team of active-duty military personnel policymakers. Shana has also implemented marketing strategies that have led to exits for companies selling to both enterprises and government, her company KOI Consulting specializes in creating strategies for companies with unique, cutting-edge, and hard-to-explain technology or markets.

Paul is a former British Gurkha officer with a keen interest in AI and autonomous systems. He has worked in the field of border and critical infrastructure security for over fifteen years, has been a regular panellist and thought leader on defence technology and defence investment initiatives across Europe and is the former Head of EMEA at Anduril Industries.

Harriet is the ADS Supply Chain Solutions Services Director, joining ADS in 2016. The Supply Chain Solutions (SCS) Framework is a single, simple access, cross sector programme, enabling suppliers to improve their competitive performance, highlight opportunities to invest in innovation and digitalisation, as well as helping them make progress towards their sustainability goals and demonstrate advancement towards net zero.

With over 20 years of experience in technology security, Gearoid O'Connor is a senior professional and team leader who specialises in cybersecurity and application security. He is the Head of Information Security UK at Helsing, a company that uses AI to serve our democracies and empower citizens. Gearoid’s role is to help Helsing scale and deliver its innovative solutions while keeping our data and people secure.

Paul spent 22 years in the British Army, much of his career with the regular element of the British Army’s Surveillance and Target Acquisition, 4/73 (Sphinx) Special OP Battery. Whilst serving with STA Patrols, Paul deployed in a wide range of roles from Forward Air Controller, Patrol Commander and Operations Warrant Officer before finishing his military career as the Deputy Commander and Capability Development lead for the STA Patrol capability.

John Dyson is on a mission - to solve semiconductor diminished supply and obsolescence! John’s varied career began as a PCB Designer for Farnell Instruments in the early 1980’s. His Engineering Design experience started with work on RF instrumentation and power supplies, before moving on to mining equipment, industrial telecoms, marine instrumentation, and pneumatics. Fast forward to today and John is now part of the team at obsolescence specialists Winslow Adaptics, whose sustainable adapter technology enables those faced with semiconductor obsolescence or diminished supply in the Aerospace and Defence sectors to keep manufacturing and support functions running, using alternative but available semiconductors.

Oliver is an accomplished geopolitical and open-source intelligence expert with a decade of industry experience spanning the Royal Marines, private sector, and UK Cabinet Office. He now runs his own geopolitics and open-source intelligence agency, OSINT Ltd, and produces the OSINTSUM; a highly regarded geopolitical risk intelligence summary. To subscribe to the OSINTSUM for free, or for more information about OSINT Ltd’s services, head to osintltd.com

Dr. Rupert Small is a specialist in complex systems and the founder of Egregious, an AI start-up dedicated to understanding online narratives. Previously, he worked with the UK semiconductor optimisation company, Flexciton, after which he served as Chief Data Scientist for a global maritime fleet management platform. Prior to founding Egregious, Rupert managed the Applied Science function at Improbable Defence, delivering Operational Decision Support capabilities to the MOD and the UK’s national security community.

Stephen is a strategic communications and information operations specialist with experience working across projects spanning Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Stephen holds a Maters in Security, Intelligence and Diplomacy and is currently part of the integration of CMM – a multi-national AI-powered mission management tool – into the British Army on behalf of Research Innovations Inc.

Lee is an IT Consultant based in the City of London specialising in Application Security Risk Assessments. Lee spent 23 years in the Royal Artillery specialising in Long Range and Satellite Communications. As a Bowman Systems Manager, he wrote complex Secure Data Networks for deployments in the UK, US, and Asia. Lee is currently serving in the HAC as the Regimental Signals Warrant Officer.

Craig is an aviation professional with 36 years’ experience in the Air Traffic Management & Drone Technology sectors, in both defence and commercial domains. Specialising in the delivery of drone operations, safety case generation and training has equipped Craig with a deep understanding of autonomy and AI application in emerging drone sector pathways, including how they will change the way we live, work and conduct future military operations.

Dr. Joe Spencer is a quantum sensing expert supporting activity in the defence space by developing UK MoD understanding of the impact of quantum technology. His background in clocks and cold atom systems, as well as involvement with large scale systems integration projects such as UK Dragonfire HEL capability, has given him a unique perspective on the systems engineering requirements for deploying quantum technologies into the battlefield.

Leading a range of multi-million pound procurement activities from a client public-sector perspective, including in the fields of transportation, BPO and a wide range of new technology implementations. Extensive experience in navigating a range of public sector procurements to achieve desired objectives, from framework optimisation to bespoke tender development. Done from a position of service having led a range of public sector procurement project teams.

Richard Sharp is the CEO of Frontier Operations, a Security and Operations company that has been based in Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. A former Royal Marines Commando, he has spent the last 10 years working in international crisis response, supporting governments and development agencies to respond to rapid onset disasters and sudden shocks.

Richard Cashmore is Commercial Manager (Cyber Security Services) at Simpson Associates. His experience is grounded in military service, having spent seven years as a Royal Marine Commando and participating in many major international exercises and on Operation Herrick in Afghanistan. Richard moved into the cybersecurity industry in 2016, applying the defensive and risk management mindset developed in the military to assist companies in understanding and reducing their cybersecurity risk levels.

Revolutionising the private sector approach to government contracting with a team of experienced market directors providing cutting-edge insights.

Karl Eze is CEO of Point Zenith, a national security and defence company supporting disruptive startups, defence primes and government agencies to develop and deliver game-changing future sensor, uncrewed system and AI capabilities. Karl has a Human Genetics Degree and studied Battlespace Technology at the Defence Academy of the UK. Having previously served in 29 Commando Royal Artillery, Karl is now a Lieutenant Colonel with the Honourable Artillery Company, and founded British Military Drone Racing.

James Morris is a Climate Risk and Resilience Manager for Accenture in the UK. James works extensively with Accenture’s global clients to manage the risks and opportunities to their business from the impacts of climate change. James has worked with many of the largest companies in the world over his 20+ year career, which includes time with both AIG and Aon in the UK. James started his career in Iraq and Afghanistan before working for the mining industry in Africa.

James spent 9 years in the Royal Marines working across defence in operational, training and capability development roles. On leaving in 2019 he joined training technology specialist 4GD where he is responsible for product development and business growth in both the UK and USA

Gareth Tennant is a former Royal Marines Commando who specialised in Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance operations. He is now the CEO of Decision Advantage, a defence and security consultancy that supports business leaders, governments and militaries in the art of decision-making in complex environments. Gareth’s focus is on integrating emerging threats and new technologies into established institutions. He also co-hosts the ‘Battling with Business’ podcast exploring the comparisons and contrasts between business and military approaches to organisational management and strategy.

Gary "Gaz" Plowman is a Yeoman of Signals within the Royal Marines. He has a background of over 15 years in communication technology with roles in land, sea and air-based Units. He has experience planning and delivering communications and information systems management in operational environments from the Arctic to Desert.

A Chartered Engineer, Ivan Mactaggart is Head of Systems and Digital Engineering at East West Rail, a critical national infrastructure project. Highly experienced working across multiple complex systems during roles at AWE Plc, DSTL, and MBDA Missile Systems, Ivan is a Fellow of the IET and CMI. A former Commissioned Officer in the Honourable Artillery Company, Ivan is currently researching the value of functional architecture in complex system design.

Ben served a full 22-year military career of which 16 years were spent in UK Specialist Military Units, and dedicated a further 8 years to the study and practice of Covert Physical Access which he employed on worldwide operations. Ben is a Director at BLOCKPHISH, managing physical security services and safeguarding organisations against the emergence of cyber-physical attack methods, a rapidly growing and pervasive threat which is transforming the structure of the cyber-risk landscape.

Over 10 years experience of working in the NHS and Military environments. A comprehensive understanding of the importance of embracing new technologies to enhance healthcare delivery with extensive experience of delivering training programs in resource constrained settings.

Gary has been on the front lines of countering money laundering and terrorist financing for 20 years He is a Forensic Investigator, ex-Head of Asia for a Big Data company, and ex-CEO of an AI Anti-Financial Crime company. Gary served with the Royal Anglians and Honourable Artillery Company, when life was a lot simpler.

David Whetham is Professor of Ethics and the Military Profession at King’s College London, and President and Founder of Compass Ethics. Based at the Joint Services Command and Staff College at the UK Defence Academy, he advises senior leaders across the military and corporate worlds on the ethical application of their organisational missions. David was a co-founder of the European Chapter of the International Society for Military Ethics.

Chris Daniels is a strategic advisor on commercialising start-ups and scale-ups, focused on aerospace, defence and DeepTech. He is CCO at Flare Bright, a tech and software machine learning assurance company for the drone and UAM industry, director of ARPAS, the UK drone industry trade body, and is on ADS Group’s Drone Platform & Counter Drone Group Executive. Chris has an MBA from IESE Business School, a Mathematics degree from Oxford University and previously served in The Parachute Regiment.

Whether you are seeking to work within the conventional military, or specialised user community, our team of vetted experts cover the full spectrum of defence and security: Air, Land, Maritime, Space & Cyber

Dean served in the British Military for 32 years, flying Lynx, Apache and MQ-9 Reaper, on multiple operational tours. As a Commissioned Executive Officer and Flight Instructor, Dean managed complex programs and introduced new equipment into service for both British Army and later the Royal Air Force. His final tour was on exchange with the USAF, where he was an MQ-9 Reaper instructor with Evaluator Status (SEFE).

Aggelos is the Founder and CEO of Future Warfare (futurewarfare.gr), the first think-tank in Greece that investigates the role of artificial intelligence in the modern and future battlefield, and geopolitics in the changing world order. Aggelos is a prestigious Geostrategy and Defense Analyst in Greece, with a background in international economics and financial risk intelligence analysis.

Having successfully delivered counterintelligence and information security support to UK and overseas formations for over 13 years, David Brayshay is now transitioning to the private sector. He holds several information security qualifications including CISM and his MA (Merit) in Intelligence and International Relations included a dissertation examining the impact of cyber warfare on the changing nature of warfare and the security policy of states.