OVERVIEW

The contemporary threat landscape has fundamentally blurred the lines between the front line and the home front. True deterrence and national defense no longer rely solely on deployable military hardware; they require a comprehensive, "whole-of-society" approach to national resilience.

This interactive webinar will explore how national security boundaries are shifting and why the UK must urgently address vulnerabilities within its domestic infrastructure, civil defense, and societal readiness. In an era defined by hybrid conflict, cyber warfare, and constant grey-zone provocations, safeguarding critical national infrastructure and state functionality requires an unprecedented level of coordination between government, the private sector, and the public.

Drawing from the strategic findings of the Strategic Defence Review, our speakers will dissect the practical realities of national mobilisation, industrial capability, and public-private defence partnerships. We will examine the critical steps required to pivot from a posture of reactive defence to one of sustained national resilience, ensuring the UK is equipped to withstand, adapt to, and recover from systemic disruptions, before moving to audience Q&A.  

 

Hear from:

General Sir Richard Barrons, 2025 Strategic Defence Review leader & Senior Consulting Fellow at the Royal Institute for International Affairs (Chatham House)

 

General Sir Richard Barrons served as Commander Joint Forces Command, one of the six ‘Chiefs of Staff’ leading the UK Armed Forces, 2013-2016, and responsible for 23000 people worldwide and a budget of over £4.Bn.

 

His military career began as an artillery officer and included the last decade of the Cold War, leadership from Captain to General on military operations in Bosnia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, and serving as the Director of all UK military operations as Lieutenant General.

 

Now with a portfolio of commercial interests, including as Co-Chairman of Universal Defence & Security Solutions and Global Defence Chair for Linden Park Partners, he advises on senior leadership, defence and national security matters - especially Digital Age transformation for 21st Century warfare - and is a regular media commentator. He was one of the leaders of the UK Prime Minister’s 2025 Strategic Defence Review and is a Senior Consulting Fellow at the Royal Institute for International Affairs, Chatham House.

 

 
Lady Olga Maitland, Founder, The Resilience Imperative

 

 Lady Olga Maitland founded the Defence and Security Forum in 1991 after closing down her campaign Families for Defence against CND, the anti-nuclear protest movement which she launched in 1983. In the course of her campaigning she had a one-on-one meeting with President Reagan in the Oval Office and a meeting with the late Pope John Paul II.

n March 2026 the founded The Resilience Imperative with the mission to alert the public on the hostile hybrid war being waged on Britain, the threats are largely Russian but not exclusively.

Her earlier career was a columnist with the Sunday Express and subsequently with the Daily Mail with regular broadcasting appearances . She was elected to Parliament in 1992 until 1997 as a Conservative for Sutton and Cheam. During her time as an MP she was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Rt Hon Sir John Wheeler JP PC, Minister of State for Northern Ireland with responsibility for security.

After leaving Parliament, she became the Chairman and co-founder of the Algeria British Business Council 2005-2025 of which she is now President. Her other interests have included international business development engagements by a wide range of commercial and academic entities.