Join senior Defence leaders for a discussion on how the new Defence Operating Model is being put into practice to enhance warfighting readiness, accelerate delivery, and enabling Defence to operate as a more integrated, agile and adaptable organisation.

 

The conversation will explore both the opportunities and challenges of implementing new ways of working, and how industry, innovators, academia and strategic partners can contribute to delivering capability and outcomes at greater pace in an increasingly complex and contested world.

 

To help you prepare for the discussion, please read the How Defence Works guide in advance of the event.

 

Have a question for our panel? Submit your question and help shape the conversation.

 

HEAR FROM

 

Major General Neil Budd, Defence Reform Programme Director

Major General Neil Budd was appointed Programme Director Defence Reform in February 2025.

 

Prior to Defence Reform, Major General Budd commanded the 1st Deep Reconnaissance Strike (DRS) Brigade Combat Team, from its formation on 1 July 2022. As the DRS BCT’s inaugural commander, he oversaw the development of the Army’s reconnaissance-strike concept. He led the development and validation of the DRS through a series of experiments, exercises, and deployments, including Exercise WARFIGHTER 23.4 and Project CONVERGENCE 4.

 

Major General Budd commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 2001, his regimental duty being predominately with close support armoured regiments in Germany and the UK. He has served with the UN in Cyprus on Op TOSCA. He deployed as a Troop Commander for the 2003 invasion of Iraq (Op TELIC 1), returning to Iraq as Regimental Ops Officer for Battlegroup South in 2007 (Op TELIC 10) operating around the southern environs of Basra. As a Battery Commander, he deployed to Afghanistan in 2013 (Op HERRICK 18) with the Royal Tank Regiment Battlegroup conducting operations around LashKar Gah and along the Arghandab River valley. His final appointment at regimental duty was to command 1^st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery from 2016 to 2019, a period dominated by the Regiment resuming its armoured role and the development of new doctrine to counter emerging threats.

 

At staff Major General Budd has completed tours in Land Commitments (now the Land Operations Command); in the MOD within the former General Staff during Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010; and latterly in Army Headquarters as the Assistant Head Strategy during Integrated Review 2020. Major General Budd has also served for a year as the Military Assistant to the Chief of Staff Operations in the UK Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) and as the Military Assistant to Commander Field Army.

 

Major General Budd has completed the Higher Command and Staff Course at the UK Defence Academy. He has an MA from King’s College London, a BSc(Hons) from Bristol University and is a Fellow of the Forward Institute.

 

Away from the Army, Major General Budd has worked for Barclays Investment Bank on a secondment for 5 months, focused on strategy and institutional management. He is a Freeman and Liveryman of the City of London, and has served as a Court Assistant (non-Executive Director) for the Worshipful Company of Masons. His interests also include offshore sailing, rugby, field sports and polo. He is the President of Royal Artillery Equitation and of Royal Artillery Rugby, and Chairman of the Royal Artillery Shoot.

 

Major General Budd is married to Anna, a lawyer, and lives in Hampshire with their two daughters and their working cocker spaniel.

 

Shauna Posaner, Director Transformation, National Armaments Group - Implementation

 

Shauna Posaner is a transformation leader with extensive experience leading complex organisational change across the public sector. She is recognised for combining visionary thinking with a deep understanding of people, culture and organisational systems to deliver lasting improvement.

 

Throughout her career, Shauna has specialised in tackling complexity, bringing together strategy, organisational design, workforce transformation and behavioural change to help organisations improve performance and achieve sustainable outcomes. Colleagues value her ability to integrate disparate perspectives, connect systems that often operate in isolation and translate ambitious visions into practical delivery.

 

A strong advocate for inclusive and values-led leadership, she believes that organisational success is driven by culture, clarity of purpose and empowered people. Her leadership style has been shaped by repeatedly stepping into challenging situations and taking responsibility for driving change in uncertain environments.

 

Among her proudest achievements is designing and implementing new service delivery models that improved outcomes for children in care while reducing costs, demonstrating her commitment to achieving both social impact and operational effectiveness.

 

Shauna is motivated by making a meaningful difference and is passionate about helping organisations build the capability, culture and systems needed to meet the challenges of the future.

 

Major General Duncan G Forbes, Chief of Staff, Military Strategic Headquarters

Duncan Forbes joined the Royal Marines in September 1999 after studying Law and French Language at Glasgow University. Following training, he served with Plymouth-based 42 Commando and deployed to Sierra Leone, South Armagh and Iraq as a subaltern. A series of training and mentoring jobs then followed – recruits at the Commando Training Centre, Iraqi Officer Cadets at the fledgling academy in Baghdad with NATO, Royal Marine Reservists in Scotland, and then finally Afghan soldiers in Helmand Province with 45 Commando, re-rolled as Operational Mentoring and Liaison Teams.

 

After Initial Command and Staff Course (Land), he joined 40 Commando, in Taunton, serving as their Operations Officer and then commanding Alpha Company. During this time, the unit conducted various amphibious deployments, jungle training in Brunei, and operations in Sangin.

 

Following Advanced Command and Staff Course, during which he completed an MA in War Studies from King’s College London, Duncan worked as a desk officer within the Financial Military Capability directorate during the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review with a remit for Joint Warfare, and then as the Military Assistant to the Secretary of State for Defence.

 

He commanded 45 Commando between 2017-19, and served with the Royal Navy’s 2* contingent battlestaff, COMUKSTRFOR, as their Chief of Staff, before attending the Higher Command and Staff Course. Duncan returned to London in May 2021 as Head of the Naval Staff where he supported the Royal Navy’s international and domestic engagement, strategy development, and broader policy work. Following command of 3 Commando Brigade RM, Duncan promoted to Major General in February 2024 and assumed the role of Director Strategy and Policy, and Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff.

 

He started as Chief of Staff of the Military Strategic Headquarters in February 2025, with a remit of delivering the new Defence Reform model and supporting the implementation of the Strategic Defence Review recommendations.

 

Duncan is married to Emma, who splits her time between being a senior Procurator Fiscal and academia. They have two boys at secondary school in Glasgow.

Emily Curtis, Director Strategic Finance and Approvals

Emily has been the Director of Strategic Finance and Approvals at the Ministry of Defence since July 2025. Her role includes being responsible for the relationship with HM Treasury, managing In-Year spend and the financial plan, and the scrutiny and management of investment approvals.

 

Before joining the MOD, Emily was the Finance Director responsible for Capital and Infrastructure in the Department of Health and Social Care. Prior to that, and up until April 2024, she was the Deputy Director for Defence, Diplomacy and Intelligence in the Treasury. Earlier Civil Service roles included spells at the Department for Education and HM Treasury in various strategic finance, delivery and analysis roles, including leading the 2015 Spending Review.