Speakers

Confirmed keynote speakers include:

  • Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton, Chief of the Air Staff, Royal Air Force
  • Lieutenant General Sir Charles Stickland, Chief of Joint Operations Strategic Command
  • General Stephen N. Whiting, Commander, United States Space Command
  • Brigadier General John L. Dawber, Deputy Commanding General for Operations, U.S. Army Space &  Missile Defense Command.

 

Other key speakers include from the UK:

  • Air Marshal Allan Marshall, Air & Space Commander, Royal Air Force
  • Major General Paul Tedman, Commander, UK Space Command
  • Air Commodore (Ret’d) Mark Roberts, Chair of The Air & Space Power Association
  • WO Caroline Cooper, Command Warrant Officer, UK Space Command
  • Professor Anu Ohja, Director of Championing Space, UK Space Agency
  • Paul Russell, Space Team Leader, Defence Equipment & Support, Ministry of Defence
  • Josh Broom- Head of Space, Department for Business & Trade (DBT)
  • Melanie Clift, Director of Defence and Security, Satellite Applications Catapult
  • Doug Liddle- Vice Chair, UK Space, Director Space, BAE Systems
  • Tom Purser Commercial X – Business Partner (RAF/Air & Space Command)

 

Other key speakers from overseas include:

  • Major General Gregory Novak, Commander, Australian Defence Space Command
  • Major General Michael Traut, Commander, German Space Command
  • Daniel Higbert, Senior Space Coordinator, NATO Defence Investment Division
  • CMSgt Jacob C. Simmons – Command Senior Enlisted Leader, US Space Command
  • WO1 Brian Buskell – Command Warrant Officer, Defence Space Command Australia

 

Many more high-profile speakers will be announced in the coming weeks. 

Dr Sophy Antrobus

Research Fellow,
Freeman Air and Space Institute

Air Vice-Marshal Tom Ashbridge

Director Operations, Defence Digital, UK Strategic Command

Air Marshal (Ret'd) Sir Stuart Atha KBE CB DSO

Former Deputy Commander Operations,
Royal Air Force

Mark Bacon

Deputy Director Capabilities, Department for Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT

Dr Paul Bate

Chief Executive Officer,
UK Space Agency

Brigadier Matt J Birch

Senior Responsible Owner, Land Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance and Land Information Activities, British Army

Chief Master Sergeant Alex Birkle

Command Senior Enlisted Leader,
US Space Forces Europe - Africa

Air Commodore Adam Bone

Deputy Commander UK Space Command

Dr Matt Broadhead

Chief Consultant, Space Systems Programme, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl)

Josh Broom

Head of Space, Department for Business & Trade

Warrant Office Class One Brian Buskell

Command Warrant Officer,
Australia Space Command

Stuart Catchpole

Cluster Manager, Space East

Melanie Clift

Director of Defence and Security,
Satellite Applications Catapult

Warrant Officer Caroline Cooper

Command Warrant Officer,
UK Space Command

Air Commodore Martin Cunningham

Assistant Chief of Staff, Operations, No 11 Group, Royal Air Force

Brigadier General John L. Dawber

Deputy Commanding General for Operations, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command

Kata Escott

Managing Director and Head of Country, Airbus Defence & Space UK

Anita Friend

Head of Defence and Security Accelerator

Jason Gnaneswaran

Skynet Senior Responsible Owner,
UK Strategic Command

Colonel Frédéric Guénette

Deputy Commander, 3 Canadian Space Division

John Hanley

Chair, UK Space and
Senior Vice President, GCI UK

Daniel Hilgert

Senior Space Coordinator,
NATO HQ

Rebecca Huffee

Space West Cluster Manager,
National Composites Centre

Lee Jackson

Senior Programme Manager - Space, Raytheon UK

Avril Jolliffe

Director-General, Industry, Trade and Economic Security, MOD

Commodore Simon Kelly

Deputy Commander UK Strike Force, Royal Navy

Dr Paul Killworth

Deputy Chief Scientific Advisor for National Security

Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton KCB ADC FREng

Chief of the Air Staff,
Royal Air Force

Doug Liddle

Director - Space, BAE Systems

Air Marshal Allan Marshall

Air and Space Commander,
Royal Air Force

Tim Marshall

Author and Broadcaster

Major General Greg Novak

Commander,
Space Command Australia

Professor Anu Ojha OBE

Director, UK Space Agency – International, ESA, Education, Communications and Parliamentary Engagement

Luke Pollard MP

Minister for the Armed Forces

Thomas Purser

Business Partner - Air and Space, Commercial X, Ministry of Defence

Air Commodore (Ret'd) Mark Roberts CBE MA MBA

Chair, The Air and Space Power Association

Paul Russell

Space Delivery Team Leader, Defence Equipment and Support, MOD

General Luis Saez

Director, Chilean Space Directorate

Elaine Scott

Cluster Director, Space North East England​

Polly Scully

Head of UK Defence and National Security at Palantir Technologies

Nick Shave

UK Managing Director,
Astroscale

Andrew Stanniland

Chief Executive Officer,
Thales Alenia Space UK

Lieutenant General Sir Charlie Stickland KCB OBE

Chief of Joint Operations,
Permanent Joint Headquarters

Juliana Suess

Research Fellow, Space Security,
Royal United Services Institute

Sir Martin Sweeting

Executive Chairman, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd

Major General Paul Tedman CBE

Commander,
UK Space Command

Major General Michael Traut

Commander,
German Space Command

General Stephen N. Whiting

Commander,
U.S. Space Command

Matt Wood

Head of Sales – Europe,
BlackSky

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Dr Sophy Antrobus

Research Fellow
Freeman Air and Space Institute

Dr Sophy Antrobus researches contemporary air power in the context of the institutional, cultural and organisational barriers to innovation in modern air forces, in particular the RAF, at the Freeman Air and Space Institute, King’s College London, where she is a Research Fellow. Her current research areas are on deterrence and risk, and she recently published a paper ‘An Applied History of the RAF’s Approach to Risk and Implications for Modern Warfighting’. 

Previously, Sophy served in the Royal Air Force for twenty years including in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a tour with the Royal Navy. She is a Fellow and elected member of the Council of the Royal Aeronautical Society, a Hudson Fellow with the Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre and a member of the RAF Museum’s Research Advisory Board. 

Air Vice-Marshal Tom Ashbridge

Director Operations, Defence Digital, UK Strategic Command

Tom Ashbridge grew up in Northern Ireland, and studied at Queen’s University in Belfast where he was a member of both the University Air Squadron and University Officer Training Corps.

His early career was focussed on tactical communications delivery, including time with Joint Helicopter Command, Tactical Communications Wing, and embedded into an Army Signal Brigade Headquarters; he completed several operational deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mid-career, his focus shifted to operating in the Cyber & EM domain. He was fortunate to enjoy two years on exchange during the early days of United States Cyber Command, where he was responsible support to US Combatant Commands and helped grow the US Military’s Cyber Mission Force. He then commanded the joint military intelligence Unit. As an OF5, he led Defence’s Cyber Capability Development and as Senior Air Staff Officer for the Royal Air Force’s 11 Group, helped refocus the RAF’s operational headquarters for global operations. He undertook his 1* roles in Defence Digital focussed on developing Defence Digital Operations as an operational C2 node in the cyber domain, prior to taking up a Deputy Director role in a Defence and Intelligence Community Cyber Partnership. He was appointed as Director Digital Operations in Jul 2024 on promotion to Air Vice-Marshal. He is excited about being at the heart of operating the Digital Enterprise that gives Defence its edge and leveraging the whole force community to defend that Enterprise in the face of growing threats.

Tom is married to Nicky, a Chartered Accountant, and has two teenage sons. As a family, they enjoy time outdoors. Tom’s latest sporting foray is becoming a hockey umpire, where he finds the ‘feedback’ from the teams helps keep him grounded.

Air Marshal (Ret'd) Sir Stuart Atha KBE CB DSO

former Deputy Commander Operations
Royal Air Force

Stuart Atha is a Director with BAE Systems, responsible for the development and delivery of the Air Training Strategy, a remit that includes enterprise-wide multi-domain training.  He is a member of the Air Board, Chair of PPM, a high tech entity, and Head of the UK delegation to the NATO Industrial Advisory Group.
 
Prior to joining BAE Systems in 2020, Stuart served in the RAF for 35 years.  His career was dominated by operations both in the cockpit and command, notably in the Balkans, Libya, the Gulf and Afghanistan.  He commanded No 1 Group, which comprised a diverse array of air and space forces including combat aircraft, ISTAR assets and the National Air and Space Operations Centre. After a tour in the Permanent Joint Headquarters, Stuart completed his Service career as Deputy Commander of the RAF, a tour that was dominated by the counter-ISIS campaign and the NATO response to a resurgent Russia.
 
Stuart is an Honorary Professor at the University of Nottingham, lecturing on contemporary air power, and patron of the Jon Egging Trust, a charity that seeks to inspire and develop young people. He is also the RAF Commissioner in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Mark Bacon

Deputy Director Capabilities, Department for Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT)

Mark Bacon leads the Capabilities team in the Space Directorate at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, working on a range of capabilities including spaceflight, satcoms and OneWeb, SDA, EO data, SBAS and in-orbit economy.  He has worked in the space sector for 13 years, first in the UK Space Agency and now in DSIT.

Dr Paul Bate

Chief Executive Officer,
UK Space Agency

Paul Bate has been CEO of the UK Space Agency since September 2021. He leads a team of more than 300 who provide the R&D funding to use space to increase prosperity across the world, protect the planet, and to understand the universe.

Prior to space, Paul ran global sales at Babylon Health, which floated on the New York Stock Exchange in 2021, and built a consultancy business.

Paul was David Cameron’s senior health adviser in Downing Street and led on health targets and finances in Tony Blair’s Delivery Unit. Paul holds a PhD in Particle Physics.

Brigadier Matt J Birch

Senior Responsible Owner, Land Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance and Land Information Activities, British Army

Brigadier Matt Birch was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1998.  He has “manned the guns” for all his regimental duty: serving initially in 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery as a Command Post Officer and Battery Recce Officer; then 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery as a Fire Support Team Commander, Adjutant and Battery Commander; and 4thRegiment Royal Artillery as Battery Commander.  In addition, he served as the Brigade Major Royal Artillery in the Offensive Support Group of 1 (United Kingdom) Armoured Division based in Herford, Germany 2010-12.  His final artillery posting was as Commanding Officer, 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery. As a Brigadier he was Chief Joint Fires and Influence Branch in HQ Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.
 
Operationally Brigadier Birch has deployed to Bosnia as a Battery Recce Officer and Civil Military Affairs Officer (1999), and Afghanistan as a Fire Support Team Commander (2002), Battery Commander (2010) and CJ33 within the 4* NATO RESOLUTE SUPPORT headquarters (2017-18).  Non-operationally he deployed repeatedly on a Defence Engagement role with African Union forces in Somalia, and prior to the recent invasion, to the Ukraine within NATO mentoring.
 
On the Staff he has been employed within the Capability and Acquisition field from Maj to Brig.  Initially working in Defence Equipment and Support, that has been extended with multiple roles in Army HQ across plans and delivery.  This has notably included SRO for the Land Fires 25 Programme and Programme Director (PD) for the Watchkeeper Unmanned Aerial System then as Assistant Head C4ISTAR, PD for the ISTAR and IA&O programmes and latterly as Head of Military Capability Delivery in the Programmes Directorate.  Brigadier Birch assumed SRO Land ISTAR and IA in Feb 24.  He graduated from the Advanced Command and Staff Course in 2014 additionally completing a Masters Degree in International Security from King’s College, London; this also enabled him to develop his East Africa experience by focusing on stabilisation operations in Islamic Africa. He has also graduated from the Major Project Leaders Academy with the Said Business School, Oxford University.
 
Brigadier Birch is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society which underpins his interest in travel and adventure.  A keen climber, alpinist, mountain biker and skier his pursuits are enabled by a small family apartment in Chamonix, France.  He also encourages mountain activity within the Army as President of the Army Telemark Skiing Association as well as being President of Royal Artillery Parachuting and Honorary Colonel for 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery.

Chief Master Sergeant Alex Birkle

Command Senior Enlisted Leader,
US Space Forces Europe - Africa

Chief Master Sergeant Alex Birkle serves as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader for U.S. Space Forces in Europe and U.S. Space Forces Africa (SPACEFOREUR-AF), Ramstein, AB, Germany, reporting in on 17 July 2024. As the Command Senior Enlisted Leader, he is responsible for leading Guardians and Airmen in multiple Space Force Specialty Codes and Air Force Specialty Codes. As the principal advisor to the Commander, he oversees all matters impacting the health, welfare, morale, utilization, education and progression of the command’s military and civilian personnel as well as their families. Additionally, he is charged to distill Commander’s intent into executable guidance for the SPACEFOREUR-AF Team.

Chief Birkle enlisted in the Army in 2000, during his junior year of high school.
In his early career, he served as Team Sergeant, Section Sergeant, Platoon
Sergeant, Operations Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, and Division
Cyberspace Electromagnetic Activities Noncommissioned Officer in Charge.
Chief Birkle’s experience includes 5 combat deployments in Iraq, Africa, Europe,
and Afghanistan. Prior to his transfer to U.S. Space Force Chief Birkle was the Cyberspace Electromagnetic Activities Noncommissioned Officer in Charge for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Carson, Colorado. In this position Chief Birkle performed and supervised military actions involving security of the electromagnetic spectrum to maintain friendly use, while identifying, attributing, exploiting, and mitigating hostile use.

Chief Birkle transferred to the United States Space Force 17 May 2022. In his first assignment as a Guardian, he served as the Senior Enlisted Leader of the 16th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron, Peterson, SFB, CO.

Air Commodore Adam Bone

Deputy Commander UK Space Command

In the early years of his career Adam Bone completed postings at the Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing, the UK Permanent Joint Headquarters, US Central Command, the Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre and as a flight commander on 39 Sqn deploying throughout on various operations across the globe.
 
Bone has been the senior intelligence officer at the UK’s high-readiness Joint Force Headquarters where he supported an array of global missions. Following this he was a lead member of the Air Staff in Whitehall.
 
He commanded at the National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence and led the Air Intelligence and Information Warfare team at RAF Air Command. He was also the Principal Staff Officer to the Chief of the Air Staff for a busy tour which included support to Op PITTING and Op SCORPIUS.
 
Air Cdre Bone has been Deputy Commander and Head of Operations, Plans, Enablement and Training at UK Space Command since Jan 2023.
 
Bone has a Masters in International Relations and Politics from the University of Cambridge, where he is an elected Bateman Fellow. He is a graduate of the Higher and Advanced Command Staff Courses and holds two further post graduate degrees in Defence and Intelligence related topics. 

Dr Matt Broadhead

Chief Consultant, Space Systems Programme, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl)

Dr Broadhead is the Technology Strategy Leader and Chief Consultant for Space at the Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (Dstl) based at Portsdown West near Portsmouth. He began a professional career in space after completing a PhD in early universe cosmology at the University in Liverpool in 2005.

Matt spent three years in MOD head office as a programme manager and technical advisor to senior officials. He has been a senior advisor within Dstl since 2014 and in 2019 is the Technical Strategy Leader for the domain. This includes leading the strategic direction for the wider space capability within the lab.

He is an advocate for the role that technology push and innovation can play in shaking up Defence thinking and has published on such cross-cutting issues as deterrence, mission assurance and space warfare.

Across all areas, Dr Broadhead has a track record of technical and programmatic collaboration with the US, the wider 5-eyes community, NATO, and other nations in pursuing common Defence objectives in space.

Matt is a Chartered Physicist and a mentor for the Institute of Physics. He is active in leading the development of a growing space capability in Dstl to serve Defence’s future needs. He is an avid board and war-gamer.

Joshua Broom

Head of Space
UK Department for Business & Trade

Joshua Broom is the Head of Space at the UK Department for Business & Trade (DBT). He leads the Department’s space engagement with UK companies looking to export to global markets, and international companies wishing to invest and locate in the UK space sector, as well as investors looking to invest into UK companies and capabilities. He also coordinates the Department’s contributions to cross-government space policy and governance working with the Department for Science, Innovation, & Technology (DSIT), the UK Space Agency, Ministry of Defence (MOD), Foreign, Commonwealth, & Development Office (FCDO), and Cabinet Office.

Josh has worked in the UK Government on space since he joined the Civil Service in 2017. He has held four different roles in the Department for the Environment, Food, & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the UK Space Agency, and Department for International Trade – now DBT. He has tackled many complex issues such as negotiating with the European Union on UK participation in EU space programmes, mobilising space-based assets and expertise for emergency responses to international crises in Australia and elsewhere, establishing precedent-setting agreements and partnerships with strategic space-faring allies, and landing companies from abroad across the UK space ecosystem.
Prior to his career in the Civil Service, Josh studied at Loughborough University and Cranfield University to secure bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering and environmental science respectively. He is a self-professed space ‘geek’, keen traveller, and rugby enthusiast.

Warrant Officer Class One Brian Buskell

Command Warrant Officer,
Australia Space Command

WO1 Buskell hails from Sydney and was appointed as the Command Warrant Officer Space Command on 10 January 2024.

He was allocated to the Royal Australian Infantry Corps after enlisting in the Australian Army in 1988 and served in regimental positions including: Operations Warrant Officer, Training Warrant Officer, Regimental Sergeant Major Training and Doctrine Army; Regimental Sergeant Major of the 3rd Combat Brigade; Warrant Officer and Non Commissioned Officer Academy and the Wing Sergeant Major Rifleman Wing, School of Infantry.

Instructional assignments have included appointments at the School of Infantry, the Warrant Officer and Non Commissioned Officer Academy and the Royal Military College.

WO1 Buskell has attended Exercise LONG LOOK with 42 Commando Royal Marines and as a member of the Australian Instructional Support Team to the United States Marine Corps. His operational service includes Operation TAMAR, Operation TANAGER, Operation ASTUTE, Operation QUICKSTEP, Operation ANODE and Operation HIGHROAD.

Stuart Catchpole

Cluster Manager, Space East

Stuart is the Cluster Manager for Space East, the UKSA supported Space Cluster for the East of England. As one of the 15 such organisations around the UK, Space East is dedicated to developing a thriving, innovative, and engaged community of cross-sector businesses eager to explore the opportunities within the £18.2bn UK space sector. Stuart has grown the cluster to 200 members and £4m of project money in the first 18 months of operation.

Stuart is an experienced Senior Manager with a background in both public and private sectors, spanning industries such as Bio-Science, Advanced Manufacturing, Construction, and Education. Before joining Space East, he served as an Inward Investment Manager for Norfolk and Suffolk Unlimited. He has a passion for innovation, collaborative working and business development.

Melanie Clift

Director of Defence and Security, Satellite Applications Catapult

Melanie Clift is Director for Defence and Security at the Satellite Applications Catapult, a not-for-profit Research and Technology Organisation whose overriding aim is to help grow the UK space ecosystem. Melanie started her career in manufacturing and supply chain management within oil and gas and then financial services, before moving into the space sector in 2012. She has worked in technical business development across both upstream and downstream space suppliers within primes, start-ups, and academia.

Warrant Officer Caroline Cooper

Command Warrant Officer,
UK Space Command

Caroline joined the Royal Air Force as a Medic. She has extensive experience operating within single-Service and tri-Service arenas. She has also amassed considerable operational experience conducting aeromedical evacuations in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Zagreb, Ascension Island, and Afghanistan.
 
She was the first Warrant Officer appointed as the RAF Medic advisor, responsible for the largest medical profession in the RAF. She worked relentlessly to source and deliver an accredited pathway and funding to offer all the Medics the opportunity to gain civilian qualifications from NVQ to Masters.
 
As a founding member of the Astra Core Team in 2020, she led in re-establishing the innovative culture, delivering strategic effect to drive grassroots innovation within the RAF. She also created and leads Pj MINDSET, delivering outward mindset facilitation to remove psychological and relational impediments that dimmish operational outputs, culture and the retention of our people. As Command Warrant Officer UK Space Command, she is excited about the opportunity to help shape the Cmd’s vision and make space safe, secure, and sustainable.  
 
Caroline is currently a Global Doctoral Candidate at Durham – Em-ylon studying organisational behaviour and Innovation. Married to Kev, who also serves in the RAF, they have two sons who are both studying Bio-Chem and Veterinary Medicine, at university, and a daughter in secondary education. She is a keen skier and enjoys running and literature.

Air Commodore Martin Cunningham

Assistant Chief of Staff, Operations, No 11 Group, Royal Air Force

Joining the Royal Air Force at 18, Martin Cunningham graduated from officer training and completed flying training at RAF Cranwell and RAF Finningley. In 1992, he began his career on the C130 Hercules with 47 Squadron Special Forces Flight, earning promotion to Squadron Leader in 2001 and a posting to Headquarters 3(UK) Division as Staff Officer 2 Air. As a pioneering Air Land Integration officer, he led Air Land Integration efforts during the Afghan and Iraq operations.

In 2003, Cunningham returned to 47 Squadron as Flight Commander, followed by a short tour with Capability Equipment and Logistics Support and promotion to Wing Commander. After completing Advanced Staff Training in 2007, he joined the Combat Support Desk in Air Resources and Plans, playing a crucial role in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010 preparations. In 2010, he assumed command of 47 Squadron, later becoming Deputy Air Commander at Headquarters Directorate Special Forces and earning promotion to Group Captain in 2014.

As Programme Manager for the Air Mobility Efficiency and Effectiveness program, he transformed the Air Mobility portfolio. After completing the Higher Command Staff Course and Royal College of Defence Studies, he served as Chief Air Officer at Headquarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corps and Chief Combat Plans for NATO Air Component. Promoted to Air Commodore, he now serves as Assistant Chief of Staff Operations within Number 11 Group.

Brigadier General John L. Dawber

Deputy Commanding General for Operations
U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command

BG Dawber commissioned in the United States Army, Air Defense Artillery Branch. 

After command with 5-52nd ADA BN, Fort Bliss, TX, BG Dawber served as the Deputy Brigade S3 during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Roles in the Pentagon followed and his portfolio included training and equipping of Iraq Security Forces. As a staff officer he worked on Patriot and MEADS weapon systems and his Master’s Degree in Policy Management led on to Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth. Assignments in Germany preceded roles as Lieutenant Colonel Assignments Officer, Executive Officer, and Interim Branch Chief for the ADA Branch. 

After earning his Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies, he headed G3 duties at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam then served as the Deputy Commanding Officer, 32nd AAMCD, before assuming command of the 11th Air Defense Artillery “Imperial” Brigade. Returning to the Pentagon as Division Chief, BG Dawber then served as Deputy Director, DAMO-Fires, HQDA DCS G-3/5/7, in Arlington, Virginia until his arrival to the U.S. Space and Missile Defense Command in June 2023. 

BG Dawber has deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Active Fence, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Southern Watch.

Kata Escott

Managing Director and Head of Country, Airbus Defence & Space UK

Kata joined Airbus in 2023.

As a former civil servant she has supported governments across a range of national security priorities.

She joined the MOD from university, with roles including in policy, operations and planning. In 2021 as Head of Defence Strategy, she led a major reset of our Armed Forces with a shift towards a more modern, tech-enabled military that secured an additional £16.5bn for the defence budget.

Kata has held pivotal roles in the Cabinet Office leading the government’s response to the 2013 Snowden intelligence crisis, supported the Prime Minister’s National Security Council with strategic advice through the IR, AUKUS and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and was Chief of Staff to the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service.

She worked with Sir Patrick Vallance building the Government’s Science Superpower agenda and was at the heart of establishing the new Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

Anita Friend

Head of Defence and Security Accelerator

Anita Friend is the Head of the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) which finds and funds exploitable innovation for UK defence and security quickly and effectively, whilst boosting UK prosperity. In this role, she has placed strong emphasis on taking a collaborative approach across defence, security and industry – enhancing DASA’s service offering to deliver the best solutions for our customers and to help our suppliers grow their business. She has sought to ensure DASA finds ideas from a diverse range of sources and provides services which accelerate and facilitate the turning of great ideas into benefits for defence and our national security.  

Anita joined DASA with over 10 years’ experience of working in National Security leadership roles in both Home Office and Cabinet Office. These roles included head of risk assessment for the Cabinet office and – immediately before joining DASA- a 6 year tenure at the Home Office, where Anita oversaw a team responsible for reducing the risk of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive attacks on UK soil. More specifically, Anita worked on the government’s response to the Novichok crisis in 2018, the swine flu outbreak in 2009, and the London riots.
Before moving into the National Security field, Anita started her career in social research working in the private sector. 

Outside of work, Anita enjoys spending time with her husband and young children, countryside walking and travel.

Jason Gnaneswaran

Skynet Senior Responsible Owner, UK Strategic Command

Jason is the Senior Responsible Owner for SKYNET 6 and for New Style of IT (Deployed) for the UK Ministry of Defence, and hence is accountable for successful delivery of these two programmes. An experienced programme manager, he has delivered capabilities the UK MOD for 15 years, including in Cyber Resilience, Force Protection, Helicopters, Position Navigation and Time, and Electronic Warfare. He is a Chartered Engineer and Chartered Project Professional.

Colonel Frédéric Guénette

Deputy Commander, 3 Canadian Space Division

Col Guénette joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1996. Graduating from the Royal Military College of Canada with a Degree in Computer Science, he subsequently received his pilot’s wings and was posted to 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, Valcartier, flying the CH146 Griffon in support of Joint and Domestic Operations.

In support to the NATO conflict in Afghanistan, he earned both his CH47D Chinook qualification and instructor rating with the US Army in 2008, and deployed as part of Operation ATHENA. Upon returning from Afghanistan, he was assigned to 1 Wing Headquarters Kingston as the CH47D Standards Officer and subsequently serving as a senior operational and planning staff.

Posted to 450 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, Petawawa, he continued the operational development of the nascent CH147F Chinook capability as Operations Officer and Flight Commander.

Col Guénette attended the United States Air Force Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) in Montgomery, Alabama, as a student, and remained as a Deputy Course Director, mentor, and instructor; teaching courses to joint and multi-national field grade officers, as well as civilians.

Following this assignment, Col Guénette was entrusted with the command of 403 Helicopter Operational Training Squadron, Gagetown.

He most recently took on the responsibilities of Deputy Commander for the 3 Canadian Space Division, Ottawa.

Col Guénette is a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Air Force (USAF) Air Command and Staff College, and also completed the USAF Air War College Program at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. He holds a Master of Military Operational Art and Science from the USAF Air University.

Col Guénette is extremely proud of the incredible strength, adaptability, and resilience of his children, and is eternally grateful for the unconditional support of his amazing wife, to whom he gives all the credit.

John Hanley

Chair, UK Space and Senior Vice President
GCI UK

 John is a Senior Vice President at CGI UK, where he is part of the senior leadership team within CGI UK’s Space, Defence and Intelligence business unit which has been developing, delivering, operating and supporting the UK Space and Defence communities for over 45 years. John is also the current Chair of the UK Space industry’s trade association.

John holds an MSc.Eng in Geodesy and Geomatics from the University of New Brunswick, Canada. He spent the majority of his 28 year career growing CGI’s footprint in the UK and European Space sector, specifically leading the strategic sales team responsible for developing and implementing CGI’s strategy in the global space market. He is now respomsible for a team of over 340  highly qualified system integration and software engineers in a business area which encompasses both upstream and downstream customers, across multiple domains including defence, space, aerospace and intelligent transport. He has a proven track record in delivering highly complex programmes and building strong strategic relationships across multiple senior stakeholders.

Daniel Hilgert

Senior Space Coordinator,
NATO HQ

Daniel Hilgert has been appointed as Senior Space Coordinator at NATO Headquarters in Brussels in September 2023.  His work focuses on transforming NATO’s engagement with the commercial space sector and exploring investment opportunities for the Alliance through multinational cooperation projects.

Daniel is currently leading the development of NATO’s first ever Commercial Space Strategy aiming at making it easier for the Alliance to integrate commercial solutions, lowering barriers for space companies to work with NATO, while ensuring commercial partners are protected when collaborating w NATO. As part of a larger portfolio, Daniel led the political negotiations on NATO Alliance Persistent Surveillance from Space (APSS) – NATO’s largest multinational space programme with 17 Allies contributing the equivalent of more than 1 billion USD to leverage commercial and national space assets. Daniel Hilgert joined NATO Headquarters in March 2016 working on investments in Allied and NATO Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance capabilities.

Rebecca Huffee

Space West Cluster Manager,
National Composites Centre

Rebecca Huffee is Cluster Manager for Space West which covers the geographies of Swindon and Wiltshire, Bristol and Bath and Gloucestershire having taken up the post based at the National Composites Centre in 2023.   She works collaboratively with her Space Cluster colleagues from across the UK to accelerate innovation and grow the space sector in the UK.   Prior to the this she was a programme manager for Space and Net Zero at the University of Bristol, engaging with industry and policymakers to support the university’s academic community to understand industrial and policy challenges to help deliver innovation for real world problems.

Lee Jackson

Senior Programme Manager - Space, Raytheon UK

Heading up the space mission area, Lee is responsible for delivering a wide variety of capabilities; providing an Orbital Analysts capability to the UKSA, developing the Raytheon’s LOCI telescope system, delivery of cutting edge SDA software. Previously, Lee spent 22 years working for Serco at Solid State Phased Array Radar at RAF Fylingdales. Here he gained a vast experience of both space and missile defence, all within a 24/7/365 operating environment. Starting as a software engineer, he progressed to systems engineer responsible for the integration of software, computer systems and radar hardware, and then as a project manager for major infrastructure replacements and upgrades. Based in the North East of England, Lee spends most of his time between his home town of Scarborough, and Raytheon’s North East space hub at Sedgefield.

Avril Jolliffe

Director-General, Industry, Trade and Economic Security, MOD

Avril left university with two degrees in Engineering, including a Dip Ing in Nuclear Engineering and joined the Ministry of Defence (MOD) on the Science and Engineering Fast Stream in 1995.
She worked in a number of operational policy areas, such as Bosnia, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan and worked on contingency planning for Homeland crises. Her first SCS post was the MOD’s Head of Export Policy and Assurance, where she was responsible for the assessment of military equipment export clearances against counter-proliferation legislation.

In May 2011, Avril joined Thales UK as Director Anglo-French Relations. In 2015, she took on the role of Head of Policy and International Relations, representing Thales UK across all aspects of senior Government policy making and understanding the UK’s strategic international relations position. She was also a company director for Thales Alenia Space UK, the UK arm of Europe’s largest space company. In Sept 2022, Avril re-joined MOD as the Director General for Industry, Trade and Economic Security, leading on a number of key policy areas including industrial strategy, exports, economic and investment security, space, climate change, levelling up and the Union. She is also responsible for MODSAP and other UK activities in Saudi Arabia.

Outside of the workplace, Avril is a volunteer Mentor for the Princes Trust and has been the Chair of the Board of Trustees for a national mental health charity. Avril has two daughters and a menagerie of cats, chickens, guinea fowl and rescue hedgehogs.

Commodore Simon Kelly

Deputy Commander UK Strike Force, Royal Navy

Born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Simon joined the Royal Navy in 1998 as a Warfare Officer.
 
As a junior officer he qualified as a Bridge Watch-keeping Officer, Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Officer, and Principal Warfare Officer. He saw service on operations across the world in destroyers, frigates and on exchange with the French Navy.
 
Staff appointments include Chief of Staff to the First Mine Counter Measures Squadron. This included two deployments to the Gulf, where he was awarded a Chief of Joint Operations Commendation; an assignment to UK Strategic Command, where he established a team to provide Operational Assurance for the Joint Expeditionary Force Head Quarters and more recently the Fleet Operations Officer responsible for the delivery of Royal Navy global operations.
 
He has had the privilege of being selected four times for command. He has been the Commanding Officer of five different Hunt and Sandown Class Mine Hunting Vessels, twice deploying on Op KIPION in the Gulf. He subsequently commanded HMS WESTMINSTER, a Type 23 Anti-submarine Warfare Frigate, undertaking duties as the UK Fleet Ready Escort and Towed Array Patrol Ship, with significant periods on operations in the North Atlantic and the Arctic.
 
His final sea command was as Captain of HMS ALBION, the RN’s High Readiness Amphibious Assault Ship. During this assignment he deployed twice as Commander Littoral Response Group (North), leading the RN Amphibious Task Group on operations in the Arctic, Baltic and Mediterranean.
 
In May 2022 he was promoted to Commodore and appointed as Deputy Commander to UK Strike Force, the UK’s Very High Readiness Deployable Maritime Battle Staff.
 
Simon is a graduate of the Advanced Command and Staff Course (MA Defence Studies, Kings College London), Higher Command and Staff Course and a Younger Brother of Trinity House.
 
He is the Royal Navy’s Disability Advocate and a Vice President of Royal Navy Rugby Union.
 
He is married to Samantha, an officer in the Royal Air Force and enjoys a range of outdoor sports, but most of all he just enjoys walking his dog on the South Downs.

Dr Paul Killworth

Deputy Chief Scientific Advisor for National Security

Paul was appointed as the UK’s Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser for National Security in mid-2021. He is responsible for giving independent scientific advice on national security issues and working with the wider network of scientific advisers to address cross departmental issues. He holds a doctorate in the social anthropology of the military, and writes on themes surrounding technology, privacy and security. Paul was appointed as the National Security Innovation Champion at the end of 2021 by the National Security Adviser, to help the national security community deliver the commitments in the UK’s Integrated Review.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton KCB ADC FREng

Chief of the Air Staff
Royal Air Force

Brought up in Derbyshire and educated at the local Comprehensive School, he joined the Royal Air Force in 1988 as a University Cadet and studied Engineering at Clare College Cambridge. He spent his early career in frontline roles working on Nimrod Maritime Patrol Aircraft, Tornado and in several roles within the Harrier Force. He has served as the Station Commander at Royal Air Force Wittering where he was also the RAF’s Logistics Force Commander. 

He has held a range of staff appointments in the Ministry of Defence, Air Command and in acquisition and support. He has been closely involved in strategic and capability planning for the Royal Air Force and Defence. He has been the Assistant Chief of Air Staff, where he was responsible for the strategic coherence and coordination of the Royal Air Force and planning for the RAF’s centenary programme. The most senior role he has held in the Ministry of Defence was as the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff for Military Capability. Before taking up his appointment as Chief of the Air Staff he was Deputy Commander Capability and People at Air Command, where he was responsible for the strategic planning and delivery of all aspects of Royal Air Force capability, including people, equipment, infrastructure and training. 

He has completed the Advanced Command and Staff Course and attended the Royal College of Defence Studies and the UK Pinnacle Course. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineers and holds an Honorary Doctorate from Derby University. He is a Vice Patron of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, an ambassador for the Royal Air Forces Association and President of the Royal Air Force Winter Sports Federation, Hockey Association and Powerlifting Association. He was appointed to the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath as a Commander (CB) in 2017 and as Knight Commander (KCB) in 2023.

Doug Liddle

Director - Space, BAE Systems

With 30 years in the space industry, Doug has vast experience in leading complex space programmes. After leaving Oxford in 1993 with an MA in Physics, he joined the Defence Research Agency (now QinetiQ) to work on all things space, including radar surveillance, space radiation, spacecraft dynamics and military communications systems.

In 2001, he moved to Surrey Satellites to become a spacecraft systems engineer. Over the following years, he developed several new spacecraft including Europe’s first Galileo demonstrator satellite, GIOVE-A; ran the Science and Exploration business unit; and delivered multiple satellites and optical imaging payloads including the UK’s first cubesat.

In 2015, Doug created In-Space Missions, a company founded to develop new space-enabled services and offer expert consultancy to industry, academia and government. Since 2015, he has also run the UK’s rocket programme; led the technical development of a disruptive innovation centre; developed a commercial demonstration platform for space; and initiated a company delivering real time video and immersive experiences from space.

Doug is the Vice Chair of industry trade body UKspace, and also chairs the UK’s Space Skills Advisory Panel which provides pan-sector leadership to address the space sector’s skills challenges.

Air Marshal Allan Marshall OBE MA

Air and Space Commander
Royal Air Force

Allan Marshall was commissioned into the Royal Air Force (RAF) in September 1991. Following completion of a Service sponsored engineering degree at Cambridge University and pilot training, Marshall spent the first ten years of his career flying the Harrier. During this period, he completed several operational tours, including Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan; gained experience of embarked operations on Invincible-class aircraft carriers and undertook instructional, standardisation, and test and evaluation roles within the Harrier Force.

Subsequently, he gained procurement experience as the UK requirements manager for the Joint Strike Fighter programme, before converting to the Intelligence, Surveillance, Targeting and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) role. He served as officer commanding No. V (AC) Squadron (Army Co-operation) Squadron, operating Sentinel and Shadow aircraft on operations in Afghanistan, Libya and Mali.

Two joint roles within the Ministry of Defence followed: Assistant Head Global Commitments and Counter Terrorism within the Operations Directorate and Deputy Principal Staff Officer to the Chief of the Defence Staff, before he took command of RAF Waddington in March 2016, responsible for Reaper, Rivet Joint, Sentinel, Sentry E-3D, Shadow and Intelligence analysis capabilities.

After completion of the Higher Command and Staff Course, the US Capstone Programme and a research fellowship at Oxford University focusing on strategic intelligence, he returned to the Ministry of Defence in 2018 as Head of Defence Commitments and Crisis within the Security, Policy and Operations area.

In April 2020, he was appointed as Air Officer Commanding Number 1 Group, and in November 2021, he took the post of Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Operations & Commitments). In March 2024, he commenced duties as the United Kingdom’s Air and Space Commander.

He is married to Air Vice-Marshal Suraya Marshall, and together they have two children

Tim Marshall

Author and Broadcaster

Tim Marshall is the UK’s best selling author on international relations. The author of 8 books, his Prisoners of Geography book has sold more than 2 million copies worldwide and has been translated into more than 20 languages. His latest book – ‘The Future of Geography’ is about astropolitics.
Tim was a foreign correspondent with Sky News for thirty years’ before leaving to concentrate on writing and analysis. He has covered conflicts in Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia, Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and Libya.

Tim has been shot with bird pellet in Cairo, hit over the head with a plank of wood in London, bruised by the police in Tehran, arrested by Serbian intelligence, detained in Damascus, declared persona non grata in Croatia, bombed by the RAF in Belgrade and tear-gassed all over the world. However, he says none of this compares with going to see his beloved Leeds United away at Millwall FC.

Major General Gregory Novak, AM

Commander Australian Space Command

Major General Novak was appointed as Commander Space Command in January 2024.

Major General Novak graduated from the Royal Military College Duntroon in 1995 to the Royal Australian Corps of Signals. His early career included regimental and staff appointments primarily within the 3rd Combat Signal Regiment, Army Headquarters, and as Commanding Officer of the 1st Combat Signal Regiment.

Subsequently, Major General Novak held senior staff appointments in the Office of National Intelligence and as Military Assistant to the Chief of Army. He then posted to the United States as the Australian Liaison Officer to United States Strategic Command. Upon return to Australia, Major General Novak served as Chief of Staff to the Chief of the Defence Force after which he was promoted to Brigadier in January 2020 and appointed Commander Defence Strategic Communications in the Chief Information Officer Group.

In December 2021, Major General Novak was appointed Commander of the Australian Army’s 6th Brigade where he led some of Defence’s most capable intelligence, surveillance, electronic warfare, cyber, battlespace control, and force-level engineering units.

Operationally, Major General Novak has deployed to Bougainville, Afghanistan, the broader Middle East Area of Operations, and twice to East Timor, commanding deployed forces at both sub- unit and unit level.

Major General Novak is a graduate of the Australian Command and Staff course, and holds a Masters of Science in Information Technology and a Masters of Arts in Strategy and Policy. He was awarded Member of the Order of Australia in 2023 Australia Day Honours for exceptional service in ADF command and liaison appointments, and a United States Legion of Merit for his contributions to the Australia – United States military to military relationship.

Major General Novak is married to Karina, and they have three daughters and a son. His interests include his family, world current affairs and most forms of motorsport.

Professor Anu Ojha OBE

Director, UK Space Agency – International, ESA, Education, Communications and Parliamentary Engagement

Professor Anu Ojha OBE is a member of the Executive Committee of the UK Space Agency. Included in his portfolio are leadership of the Agency’s International and ESA teams as well as UKSA’s public/parliamentary affairs, communications and education/future workforce programmes.

Prior to joining the Agency and Civil Service in May 2023 he was the founder of the UK National Space Academy programme and a Director of the National Space Centre. Appointed Honorary Professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Leicester in 2016, he was co-investigator in the University’s programmes for nuclear power applications for exploration as well as the development of new technologies for planetary drilling. He also has extensive experience in analysis from ESA’s Rosetta, Mars Express and SOHO missions and was Principal Investigator for the ESA/UKSA Astro Academy Principia education experiment suite conducted by Tim Peake during his mission to the International Space Station. He continues to teach on the University’s MSc course in Space Exploration Systems specialising in human survival in extreme environments and helped develop and teaches on the University’s new undergraduate-level Fundamentals of Space training course for space professionals.

From 2018 to 2023 he was a member of ESA’s Human Spaceflight and Exploration Science Advisory Committee (HESAC) based at ESTEC. He was a member of the final site selection team for the ESA Rosalind Franklin mission targeted for the Oxia Planum region of Mars and has helped develop ESA’s science exploration strategies for the ESA Terra Novae programme.

Since 2020 he has supported MOD Space Directorate and UK Space Command in a number of areas related to skills development and international perspectives through his long-standing experience as a member of the UK-China Joint Laboratory in Space Science and Technology and was a member of STFC Council from 2018-2024. He was also invited by the UK Secretary of State for Defence to contribute to the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy.
Prior to joining the space sector in 2008 Anu spent fourteen years as a state high school science teacher and also with British Forces Cyprus. During this time he was appointed as National Lead Practitioner for Physics by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust and was also Assistant Headteacher/Advanced Skills Teacher at the largest school in England at the time. He was appointed OBE for services to science education in 2014 and co-led the National Space Academy/Loughborough College team that shared the Queen’s Anniversary Prize 2023 – the UK’s highest national honour in education.

Anu has been a British Skydiving member since 2000, has completed over 1400 jumps and was involved as a science consultant for the Red Bull Stratos stratospheric skydive programme in 2012-12. Since 1993 he has led many high-altitude expeditions in India and Nepal and his other interests include scuba/free diving, triathlon, amateur astronomy and contemporary world politics.

Luke Pollard MP

Minister for the Armed Forces
Ministry of Defence

Luke Pollard is the Labour (Co-op) MP for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport, and has been an MP continually since 8 June 2017. He currently holds the Government post of Minister of the Armed Forces (Ministry of Defence).

Thomas Purser

Business Partner - Air and Space, Commercial X, Ministry of Defence

I have over 16 years of Commercial and Procurement Experience with a demonstrated history of working in the IT, Networks, National Security, Aerospace and Defence industries as well as Maritime, in both Private and Public-Sector.

My Role as a Business Partner within Commercial X is ensure a Customer Centric approach in our delivery, I manage the Air and Space Commands and as such having collaborative relationships with those stakeholders, as well as the Top Level Budget (TLB) Commercial teams, is paramount to us delivering Innovation and R&D at Pace for them.

Commercial X have a focus on Innovation and R&D and it aligns to our overall strategic goal of not only getting those types of produces into the War Fighter at Pace, but also ensuring that we reduce barriers to entry for Suppliers, especially in the SME space. Having a robust and open supply chain network for us to call upon is critical in delivery of Innovation to the Ministry of Defence. I facilitate those types of conversations and out the box thinking to help drive customers towards delivery.

Air Commodore
Mark Roberts CBE MA MBA

Chair,
The Air & Space Power Association

Mark Roberts runs a small Space sector start-up, Gravitilab Aerospace Services.  Before this he was the Defence and Security Director for RHEATECH UK and Project Director for Spaceport 1. Previously an operational pilot in the Royal Air Force, he commanded both 12 Squadron and RAF Lossiemouth. Mark was also Director of the Air Staff with Space and Cyber Policy in his portfolio, and Head of Capability Deep Target Attack, with responsibility for Combat Air, Complex Weapons, Land Engagement and elements of the Carrier programme. Mark is the Chairman of The Air and Space Power Association.

Paul Russell

Space Delivery Team Leader, Defence Equipment and Support, MOD

Paul joined the Ministry of Defence in 2001 as a member of their graduate engineer scheme. Until 2016 he completed a number of roles in the MOD Special Projects community focussing on ISTAR/EW and Information system capabilities as both a PM and Engineer.
 
Over several DE&S Team Leader jobs since 2016 Paul has been Team Leader of the SPISN (Information Systems and Networks) Delivery Team, the CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) Team responsible for the UK’s counter CBRN capabilities comprising detect, inform, operate, decontaminate and medical countermeasures, the MEWT team responsible for procurement and support of Ships EW and Collective Training capabilities and finally, since Dec 2022, the Team Leader of the Space Delivery Team responsible for Space Based ISR, Space Domain awareness and MODs Position Navigation and Timing capabilities.

General Luis Saez

Director, Chilean Space Directorate

General Saez has had more than 25 years of experience in logistics, strategic planning, and project management, as well as IT Defence.
He holds a master’s in military sciences from the FACh Air War Academy; a master´s in Comparative Local Development from the University of Trento (Italy); an MBA in International Business, a diploma in Strategic Planning, amongst other.
He was the Defence Attaché at the Chilean Embassy in Italy, Poland and Switzerland in 2016-2018.  
He is a Staff Officer and a Pilot. He is a Professor of Logistics at the FACh Air War Academy. He was the Deputy Director of Space Matters and has now become the Director of the FACh Space Directorate and Head of the Satellite National System Project Directorate (SNSAT).
He speaks fluent English and Italian, and basic German.

Elaine Scott

Cluster Director, Space North East England

Elaine has been leading on the delivery of support activities and development of the North East’s space ecosystem to help grow the region’s economy the last five years. Space North East England’s role is to stimulate the space sector and build a community that thrives in the North East by working alongside businesses, academia, RTOs, investors and other agencies. It is delivered by Business Durham, part of Durham County Council.
She has over 20 years of experience in economic development including a career as an Innovation Development Manager working with science, technology and engineering companies in the North East such as those at NETPark, the region’s first science park, to help build connections, facilitate business solutions and bring ideas to commercial exploitation.
Elaine just completed her tenure as a Visiting Fellow at Durham University Business School and soon to begin her research into innovation ecosystems as part of her Doctorate in Business Administration degree.

Polly Scully

Head of UK Defence and National Security at Palantir Technologies

Polly Scully CBE is the Head of UK Defence and National Security at Palantir Technologies, where she is responsible for building Palantir’s strategic partnership with the MOD and leading work across the broader defence and national security ecosystem. Polly joined Palantir in 2022 after serving 18 years in the civil service, predominantly in the Ministry of Defence but with stints in the Cabinet Office and the Home Office. Polly’s final role was as the MOD Strategy Director. Her other roles included leading the team producing the 2021 Defence Command Paper, leading the MOD’s Operational Policy and Crisis Response machinery, and acting as the military campaign analyst on the Iraq Inquiry.

Nick Shave

UK Managing Director, Astroscale

Nick joined Astroscale in June 2022 to lead the development of the Astroscale business in the UK and Europe, in particular the Active Debris Removal, Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO), and End of Life servicing business areas. He is a senior leader with extensive experience built up over 30 years in the UK and European space industry.

Prior to Astroscale, Nick was Vice President at Inmarsat, the global satellite operator, and previously held senior managerial and engineering roles at CGI, Logica, Thales Alenia Space France, Airbus Space & Defence UK, and the UK MOD Defence Research Agency.

Nick was Chair of UKspace from 2020 to 2022. In this role, he led the industrial engagement with the UK Government on the first National Space Strategy which was published in September 2021. He is current Chair of the UKspace In-Orbit Servicing and Manufacturing (IOSM) Committee.

Nick is educated to MBA level and holds a Masters in Space Systems Engineering from University College London. He is a fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and a Trustee of the charity UK Students for Exploration and Development of Space. He serves on the Advisory Board of the Earth and Space Sustainability Initiative (ESSI).

Andrew Stanniland

Chief Executive Officer,
Thales Alenia Space UK

Andrew has been the Chief Executive Officer of Thales Alenia Space in the UK since September 2019. Prior to Thales Alenia Space, Andrew was Vice President of Market Development and Strategy at Inmarsat where he led a global team in delivering the Global Government Business Unit’s strategy, resulting in growth and diversification of customer revenues and geographical reach. He started his career as a satellite systems engineer in Matra Marconi Space (now Airbus Defence and Space), before taking the lead role in service development and design for the UK Skynet 5 programme. In 2003, he became the VP of Business Development, Sales and Marketing leading the export sales team, delivering military satellite communications services to a number of the UK’s allies. He has a BEng in Aeronautical Engineering from Imperial College, London and has over 30 years’ experience in the Space industry, designing and selling complex solutions to government and defence customers across the world. In July 2022, Andrew was elected to the ADS Trade Association Board, as VP for Space.

Lieutenant General Sir Charlie Stickland KCB OBE

Chief of Joint Operations
Permanent Joint Headquarters

Charlie joined the Royal Marines in 1987 and has seen service on operations around the globe from the High North and Far East to Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan.

He is currently the UK’s Chief Joint Operations responsible for commanding and integrating UK’s global operations. Notably, his team lead the UK’s support to Ukraine.

He is passionate about inclusive leadership as it is sparky people and motivated teams that deliver agility of thought and optimal outcomes.

Married to Mishy, a lady of unparalleled patience. The Sticklands have three large sons and life revolves around family chaos, skiing and seeking adventure.

Juliana Suess

Research Fellow, Space Security
Royal United Services Institute

 Juliana is the Research Fellow on Space Security as part of the Military Sciences team at RUSI and is the host of the podcast War in Space. She was previously Project Officer and Research Analyst at RUSI International. Her research interests include global space governance, sustainability, counterspace capabilities and space warfare.

Juliana holds an MA in Conflict, Security and Development from King’s College London and a BA in Politics and International Relations from the University of Reading. Prior to joining RUSI, she was an intern for the Development, Concept and Doctrine Centre, the independent think tank of the Ministry of Defence. There she researched varied topic areas, including geo-strategic, security and stabilisation topics, as well as future and contemporary trends in warfare.

Sir Martin Sweeting

Executive Chairman, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd

Sir Martin is the Executive Chairman of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) that he founded in 1985 as a spin-out from the University of Surrey, where he pioneered rapid-response, low-cost and highly capable small satellites utilizing modern consumer (COTS) electronics to change the economics of space.  SSTL has designed, built, launched and operated in orbit 75 small satellites for UK and international customers worldwide, for communications, Earth observation, space science, PNT, and the demonstration of active space debris removal techniques – including the recently launched TYCHE for UK Space Command. SSTL has ~400 staff with over $1bn in UK export earnings.

Sir Martin has a PhD in radio engineering and is a Fellow of the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Physics, and has been identified as one of the UK’s 20 most influential engineers. He has become regarded internationally as the ‘father of small satellites’ that led to ‘NewSpace’. He is an advisor to several international space investment funds, space agencies and is an associate of the Royal Air Force 601 Squadron, providing Advice, Advocacy and Access to the senior leadership of the RAF and MOD.

No longer allowed to meddle with SSTL satellite hardware, Sir Martin maintains his passion for practical radio engineering and antenna research.

Major General Paul Tedman CBE

Commander,
UK Space Command

Major General Paul Tedman was commissioned into the Army Air Corps (AAC) in 1997 and was awarded his army flying badge in 1999. Subsequently, he qualified as a special forces aviator, commanded 1 Regiment Army Air Corps, the Aviation Reconnaissance Force, and was latterly the inaugural commander of 1st Aviation Brigade.

He has flown and commanded on domestic and global joint operations variously at squadron, regiment, task-group and brigade levels. On the staff he has served as a strategic planner in Army HQ, a joint effects planner in a Corps HQ, and as deputy commander of the UK’s Joint Helicopter Command.

In August 2021 Tedman was selected to be the UK’s inaugural Deputy J5 in US Space Command, Colorado Springs.  In this role he served as a pathfinder for allied integration into the United States newest combatant command and contributed to the development of US space policy, strategy, and plans.

Tedman was awarded a Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service (QCVS) in 2003 (Western Iraq), a second QCVS in 2013 (Afghanistan), and was made a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2020. In 2023 he was awarded the US Legion of Merit.  He has master’s degrees in aerospace engineering and defence studies, and was a research fellow at Pembroke College, Oxford.  He is a fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. 

Married to Sabine, they live in Somerset with their two young daughters.

He assumed command of UK Space Command in May 2024.    

Major General Michael Traut

Commander
German Space Command

Major General Michael Traut is Commander of German Space Command. Born in Tübingen on 18th December 1964, Major General Traut is married and has two daughters.

He joined the Bundeswehr as a conscript in 1983 and received his initial officer training at German Air Force Officer School in Fürstenfeldbruck. He studied computer science at the Bundeswehr University Munich and was assigned to numerous postings, first as system administrator and programmer and later within NATO’s Integrated Air Defence System as aircraft controller. He later obtained all tactical air battle management operational qualifications.

Major General Traut served in numerous senior functions in German Air Force and Joint Support Service Headquarters as well as within German Ministry of Defence. He took command of Operational Air Wing Mazar-e-Sharif/Afghanistan in 2007 and served as Commandant of the German Air Force Officer School between 2016 and 2020. In 2021, he became Director of National Air Operations until 2023, simultaneously taking command of the emerging German Space Command.

Major General Traut is a graduate from Bundeswehr Command and Staff College Hamburg, Joint Services Command and Staff College Bracknell and Royal College of Defence Studies London.

General Stephen N. Whiting

Commander
U.S. Space Command

General Stephen N. Whiting is the Commander, U.S. Space Command, headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. As the Commander of U.S. Space Command, General Whiting is responsible for defending U.S. and Allied interests in the space domain while providing space-enabled combat effects to joint warfighters around the globe. He exercises combatant command authority over Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen, and Guardians operating ground and space-based systems around the world. General Whiting is a 1989 distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy with a degree in aeronautical engineering. He is a space operations officer and has commanded the 13th Space Warning Squadron; the 614th Air and Space Operations Center and Joint Space Operations Center; the 21st Space Wing; and the Combined Force Space Component Command and 14th Air Force. General Whiting’s staff assignments include positions at Headquarters U.S. Air Force; U.S. Space Command; U.S. Strategic Command; the Chief of Naval Operations’ Strategic Studies Group; the Office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense; Headquarters Air Force Space Command; and Headquarters U.S. Space Force.

Matt Wood

Head of Sales – Europe
BlackSky

Mr. Matt Wood is the Head of Sales for Europe at BlackSky. Matt brings extensive geospatial intelligence experience to his role and is responsible for building BlackSky’s business in the European market. 

With a background as a geographer and GIS platform implementation specialist, Matt has spent his career building relationships in the Defence and Intelligence domain, enabling those customers to complete their missions. Prior to working at BlackSky, Matt has developed a track record of successful team and market building across the geospatial and remote sensing markets in both Europe and the USA.

A graduate of the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, Matt has enjoyed an international career that is primarily focused on building teams that foster successful outcomes for his customers.