From £300bn Defence Investment to Contract: Where the UK Defence Supply Chain Wins Work

Luke Pollard was appointed Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence on 6 September 2025, having previously served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State from July 2024. He was elected as MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport in July 2024, and holds responsibility for defence procurement reform, the Defence Industrial Strategy, UK Defence Innovation, armed forces readiness, and submarine delivery among other key portfolios.

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin GBE KCB DL is one of the most consequential military leaders of his generation. Sir Tony served as Chief of the Defence Staff from December 2021 to September 2025, the first naval officer in two decades to lead the British Armed Forces, advising four successive Prime Ministers through a war in Europe and the return of great power competition. As First Sea Lord he helped broker the AUKUS agreement, secured an expanded shipbuilding programme, and drove a renewed global Royal Navy presence, before leading all three services through their most testing period in decades. A qualified barrister with an MA in International Relations and Defence Studies and a graduate of the London Business School's Senior Executive Programme, Sir Tony brings a depth of strategic, operational, and political relationships, across NATO allies and partner nations.

Victoria joined Defence Digital in May 2023 as Commercial Director with responsibility for functional leadership of the directorate and commercial leadership of digital across the defence enterprise. The enterprise focus includes digital category management, commercial optimisation & market innovation.

Prior to joining Defence Digital, Victoria was the Commercial & Category Director for the UK Health Security Agency within the Government Commercial Function, where she established and led the Commercial and Business Development functions.

Victoria has over 20 years' experience in the Defence & Security sector, leading corporate procurement, commercial and finance functions within FTSE100/250 organisations including BAE Systems, QinetiQ, Airbus, Unilever and the UK Health Security Agency.

Victoria's achievements were recognised by World Commerce and Contracting in the Inspiring Women list 2023, and by The Times & Sunday Times in 2019 as the winner of We Are the City Top 100 Women 2019 – Defence. Victoria was also awarded the Marshall of Cambridge Medal by the Duke of Edinburgh for her contribution to the industry.

Victoria is a chartered Aeronautical Engineer by background and holds an Executive MBA from Henley Business School. She is a Fellow and Global Advisory Board Member of World Commerce & Contracting, a Non-Executive Council Member of The Air League Trust, and a Non-Executive Director and Chair of Audit, Risk & Assurance Committee of the Inspiring Leadership Foundation.

Professor Andy Schofield is Chair of the North West Regional Defence and Security Cluster (NWRDSC), past Chair of the North West Aerospace Alliance (NWAA), and Director of A Schofield Aero Consulting Ltd. With a 43-year career at BAE Systems, rising to Director of Programme Technology Integration, Andy is one of the UK's foremost aerospace and defence industry leaders. A Professor of Practice in Aerospace at the University of Nottingham and Honorary Professor at the University of Lancashire, he is a passionate champion of SME access to defence procurement, UK supply chain resilience, and the next generation of engineering talent.