https://stratcommand.blog.gov.uk/strategic-command-conference-2024-speaker-biographies/
Strategic Command Conference 2024 - Speaker Biographies
Panel 1
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Kristina Evans - Army Chief Security Officer and SRO Land CEMA Programme
Kristina is the Army’s Chief Security Officer, responsible for the Army’s cyber and security policy and operations and is Senior Responsible Owner for the Land CEMA Programme, which is delivering modernised cyber and electronic warfare capabilities for Land Forces and includes the delivery of new force protection electronic counter-measures through CRENIC. Her previous roles have included national security strategy development, foreign and border policy delivery, and large-scale technical programme delivery.
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Rob Lambert - PA Consulting
Rob’s focus is enabling defence to exploit the transformational potential of technology. This spans the full lifecycle from novel science to delivery and support of operational capability, in particular in the electromagnetic spectrum spanning areas such as electronic warfare and communications. Within this he leads the Team Protect consortium, delivering the CRENIC programme alongside UK MOD. CRENIC is a CEMA programme delivering the next generation of countermeasures using software defined technology initially against radio-controlled IEDs.
Panel 2
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Naomi Roberts - Director Strategy and Enterprise DI
Naomi has been Director Strategy and Enterprise, Defence Intelligence since September 2022. She is responsible for DI’s strategy in response to the challenges the intelligence community currently faces as well as legacy, current and future tech, finance, infrastructure, people, policy and legal teams. She joined MOD in January 2020 as the Head of Scientific Advice, responsible for Defence’s Science and Technology strategy, the Defence Science Expert Committee and a team of scientific advisers embedded across the Frontline Commands.
Prior to MOD, Naomi worked at the Department for International Development as Chief Head of Profession, Cabinet Office in the Civil Contingencies Strategy and Performance team and Home Office in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit. She joined the Civil Service after ten years working as a consultant to multinational corporations, advising on workforce health in remote and resource poor locations, particularly sub-Saharan Africa.
Naomi is a veterinary surgeon, with post-graduate qualifications in human infectious diseases. She has a master’s degree in social psychology.
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John Ridge – Defence Innovation Centre
John Ridge CBE studied Architectural Engineering before joining the Army. As a junior officer, he completed tours with Commando forces and Gurkha engineers. He later commanded a bomb disposal squadron and a close support engineer regiment, including three tours of Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The majority of his staff appointments were in the Ministry of Defence. After attending Higher Command and Staff Course (HCSC), he took command of 8 Engineer Brigade, overseeing the Brigade’s first deployments to South Sudan and Estonia. In September 2017, he was appointed Chief of Joint Force Operations, a tour which included deploying to the Caribbean as the Task Force Commander for the UK’s crisis response to Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
John left the Army in 2020 to join the Civil Service. He spent two years as Director Strategy and Enterprise Services in Defence Intelligence, where he led transformation and corporate services. In March 2022, he moved to 10 Downing Street on a six-month loan, leading transformation in No10. He returned to MOD in September as Director Defence Innovation.
Outside work he is a keen trail runner, cyclist and triathlete. He is married to Nina, a broadcast meteorologist and teacher, and they have four children.
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Dr Gundbert Scherf - Helsing
Dr. Gundbert Scherf is co-CEO at Helsing, a defence deep tech company he cofounded in 2021.
Prior to Helsing he was a Partner at McKinsey & Company, co-leading Aerospace & Defence and parts of the Tech practice.
Dr. Scherf worked as a Special Commissioner at the German Federal Ministry of Defense from 2014 to 2016.
He holds post-graduate degrees including a doctorate from the Freie Universität Berlin and the University of Cambridge.
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Doug Beck, Director, U.S. Defense Innovation Unit and Senior Advisor to the United States Secretary of Defense
Doug Beck is the Director of the Defense Innovation Unit, or DIU, reporting directly to the Secretary of Defense. In this role, Doug oversees efforts to accelerate the Department's adoption of commercial technology throughout the military and also serves as a senior advisor to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense on technology innovation, competition, and strategic impact.
Doug was Vice President at Apple, reporting directly to its CEO, Tim Cook, from 2009-2023. Doug led Apple’s businesses across the Americas and Northeast Asia, as well as co-leading Apple’s business development and sales functions worldwide. Prior to departing Apple, he oversaw several of Apple’s purpose-driven businesses worldwide, including in health, education, and other institutions of public impact.
A Captain in the U.S. Navy Reserve, Doug served in Iraq and Afghanistan from 2006-2007. He has also served extensively throughout the world during his 26 years of service.
Doug holds a bachelor's degree summa cum laude from Yale and an M.Phil in International Relations from Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.
Dr Paul Hollinshead, CEO Defence Science and Technology Laboratory