30 September - 02 October 2025 | London, UK
Day 1: People and Skills
Welcome
8:00 - 8:45
REGISTRATION AND REFRESHMENTS
8:45 - 8:50
DEFENCE iQ OPENING REMARKS
8:50 - 8:55
CHAIRMAN’S OPENING REMARKS
8:55 - 9:00
LEONARDO WELCOME
Recruitment and Retention
9:00 - 9:30
DEVELOPING DOCTRINES FOR FUTURE FORCES
Air Vice-Marshal Fin Monahan OBE DFC PhD RAF -
Director Defence Futures,
Strategic Command
• The DCDC’s work on new concepts and strategies to enhance the activities of the Armed Forces
• Ensuring that doctrine reflects both the observations from previous operations, and the future of warfare
• Developing doctrine alongside NATO allies to achieve interoperability across all domains
9:30 - 10:00
CONCEPT TO COMBAT: CHALLENGES AND DRIVERS BEHIND EMERGING DEFENCE TECHNOLOGIES
Dr Simon Harwood -
UK Strategy and Technology Director,
Leonardo
· Challenges behind creation & pull through of new technology to defence & security
· Technological drivers pertinent to defence & security
· Collaborative ways forward to overcome the challenges
10:00 - 10:30
ATTRACTING INNOVATIVE TALENT TO THE DoD
Dr Greg Bernard (subject to final confirmation) -
Talent Portfolio Director,
National Security Innovation Network
· Overview of the Talent Portfolio programmes and their importance in personnel recruitment
· Bridging the gap between students, academics, and entrepreneurs in order to bring top talent to the DoD
· Maintaining the advantage through a dynamic workforce
Dr Greg Bernard (subject to final confirmation)
Talent Portfolio DirectorNational Security Innovation Network
10:30 - 11:00
MORNING COFFEE AND NETWORKING
Creating an Innovative and Agile Force
11:00 - 11:30
FIRESIDE CHAT: PRIORITISING DIGITAL SKILLS WITHIN DEFENCE
Iain Burgess -
Director - Public Sector,
Google Cloud
- Address the gaps in digital skills within defence to power innovation and transformation
- Identify opportunities to build a new generation of technology enabled personnel, to remain at the forefront of an evolving digital agenda in defence
- Consider how to enmesh skills from outside the defence sector and domain expertise within the industry to create a generational change in how defence harnesses technology for the future
11:30 - 12:00
CREATING INNOVATIVE MINDSETS FOR THE ARMED FORCES
Sarah Chapman Trim -
Head of Culture Transformation,
Strategic Command
· Key approaches to encourage innovation adoption by personnel
· Fostering new mindsets and cultures across the Armed Forces for more effective operations
· How improving mindsets and culture can enhance the work of the warfighter
12:00 - 13:00
LUNCH AND NETWORKING
Digital Upskilling
13:00 - 13:30
THEIA: BRITISH ARMY’S DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMME
Sally Wareham -
THEIA Programme Manager,
British Army
· Outline of THEIA’s main responsibilities and goals
· Moving towards a coherent upskilling plan
· Coordinating the Army’s approach to the integration of digital skills
13:30 - 14:00
INDUSTRY LEADERS' PANEL DISCUSSION: DRIVING INNOVATION WITHIN DEFENCE
Dr Simon Harwood -
UK Strategy and Technology Director,
Leonardo
Andy Martin - Director of Pre-Sales EMEA, Cellebrite
14:00 - 14:30
TRANSFORMING DoD ACQUISITION THROUGH PEOPLE AND DATA
Mark Krzysko -
Principal Deputy Director, Enterprise Information,
Acquisition Data and Analytics, DoD
Mark Krzysko
Principal Deputy Director, Enterprise InformationAcquisition Data and Analytics, DoD
14:30 - 15:00
AFTERNOON TEA AND NETWORKING
Mobilising New Skills
15:00 - 15:30
PEOPLE POLICIES FOR IMPROVED PERFORMANCE
Brigadier James Cook OBE PhD -
Head Personnel Strategy,
British Army
· The contemporary workforce challenge pertinent to the British Army
· The benefit of the new Army Talent Framework
· Project APEX – the British Army’s approach to attracting and retaining the right workforce
15:30 - 16:00
INNOVATIVE BY INSTINCT’: THE MoD APPROACH
Dr Natasha Fox CPhys -
Head, Defence Innovation Unit,
Ministry of Defence
· Applying innovations across all areas of the MoD for consistent progress
· Observations from current case studies and their application to future projects
· Identifying and overcoming barriers to innovation
16:00 - 16:30
RESERVES: COST OR INVESTMENT?
Air Vice-Marshal Ranald Munro CBE TD VR DL -
Commandant General Royal Auxiliary Air Force, Director Reserves,
Royal Air Force
· Why have a Reserve
· Fixed cost v variable cost
· Generalist v Specialist
· Routine v contingent
· How to unleash the potential
Air Vice-Marshal Ranald Munro CBE TD VR DL
Commandant General Royal Auxiliary Air Force, Director ReservesRoyal Air Force
