WELCOME TO DAIC CONNECT
Tuesday 25 February 2025│0800 - 2330│The City of London
In partnership with
Tuesday 25 February 2025│0800 - 2330│The City of London
In partnership with
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Location: Enterprise Hall
Richard Morgan
Founder, Chief Disruptor Defence
Location: Enterprise Hall
Paul Lincoln CB OBE VR
Second Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence
Location: Enterprise Hall
David Sully
CEO and Co-founder, Advai
Dr Mark Daniell
CTO Prototype Warfare and Disruptive Technology, Leonardo UK
Location: Enterprise Hall
Cdre Rachel Singleton MBE
Head DAIC
Prof Steven Meers
Fellow at DSTL, UK MOD
Location: Enterprise Hall
Dina Kakaras
Head of Commercial X, MOD
Marcel Gordon
VP Product, Helsing
Shefali Sharma
Co-founder & Director, Oxford Dynamics
Alistair Garfoot
Director of Intelligence Architecture, Mind Foundry
Jo M
Director of Technology, NCSC
Location: Enterprise Hall
Lt Gen Sir Tom Copinger-Symes KCB CBE
Deputy Commander UK Strategic Command, and Chief Disruptor Members' Advisory Board member
Synergy Hub 1&2
Robin Riley
Head of AI Capability, DAIC
Dr Christine (Chrissy) Wong
Capability AHd Technical Lead, DAIC
Location: Interact Hub
Gp Capt Ed Whitechurch
Assistant Head Integration - Air Capability Strategy, Royal Air Force
Location: Integrate Hub 1
Brig Richard Byfield MBE
Head Digital & Data Officer and Principal AI Officer, British Army
Location: Enterprise Hall
Brig Jaimie Roylance OBE
Chief Technical Officer, Royal Navy
Location: Enterprise Hall
Claire Fry
Director of Functional Integration, Defence Digital
Heidi Edwards
Assistant Head AI Skills, DAIC
Dr Mark Chattington
Technical Director - Research, Technology & Solution Innovation, Thales UK
Nick Bray CBE
VP Global Defence & Security, Vantiq
Steve Burgess
Advisory - Digital and Analytics Lead, UK Public Sector - SAS
Location: Enterprise Hall
Charlie Forte
Chief Information Officer, Ministry of Defence
Rachel Singleton joined the Royal Navy in 2002 from the Royal Naval Reserve, following a short career as a software engineer in the telecommunications sector. Her operational experience includes time onboard aircraft carriers ARK ROYAL and ILLUSTRIOUS, two short tours in Afghanistan and a tour as Weapon Engineer Officer of Type 45 destroyer HMS DARING. Her non-operational roles have spanned capability development, IT service management, cyber and Defence Engagement and she recently spent a rewarding two years leading on AI at the British Defence Staff in Washington DC, before returning to Navy Headquarters as Head of Digital Development and SRO of the Naval Strike Network programme.
Rachel has recently joined Defence Digital as Head of the DAIC and is responsible for setting the conditions for the widespread exploitation of AI within Defence, championing the appropriate and informed use of AI, ensuring the enablers are in place such as tooling, platforms and data, and sponsoring specific innovation projects, identifying crucial problem sets and developing AI models to address them.
Rachel is a graduate of Birmingham University where she studied Mathematics and Philosophy and has also undertaken an in-Service MSc in Information Systems at Cranfield University, and the Defence Academy’s Advanced Command and Staff Course alongside the associated MA in Defence Studies from Kings College London. At home Rachel is outnumbered by her husband and two sons and any spare time is spent reading, making music or hiking.
As Second Permanent Secretary, his responsibilities include digital transformation across Defence, security and resilience (including cyber security), space policy, science and technology, safety, Defence strategy, net assessment and challenge, trade and economic security, and strategic relationships with industry.
Paul’s career has covered a broad range of roles in the MOD, the Home Office and the Cabinet Office. Prior to his return to the MOD, Paul spent time on secondment to the private sector.
From 2017 to 2021 he was Director General of UK Border Force in the Home Office, with responsibility for protecting border security and overseeing immigration and customs checks. During this time, he successfully led one of the largest law enforcement organisations in the UK, delivering generational improvements to passenger processing and, with a real focus on preparations for Brexit, oversaw one of the largest and most complex EU exit programmes in government. He also led on the cross-government health measures at the border at the height of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Other senior roles at the Home Office included Director General of the Crime, Policing and Fire Group, and Acting Director General of the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism.
His roles at the MOD have covered oversight for a range of operational campaigns, defence resourcing, programmes, and security policy.
Dina has been Head of the Software and Cloud Services category in Defence Digital Commercial since 2019. She has supported delivery to key areas such as Cyber, Crypt Key, Intelligence, Software enterprise agreements, Cloud and hosting services and the Foundry team through a strong category focus. She joined the MOD from Worldpay, the UK’s largest payments processing company and has worked in procurement and supply chain roles within financial services throughout her career. Dina now leads the Commercial X programme alongside her Software and Hosting role. She is committed to simplifying the way MOD procures digital, innovation and technology products and services through the pan-MOD CommercialX function.
Dina has been Head of the Software and Cloud Services category in Defence Digital Commercial since 2019. She has supported delivery to key areas such as Cyber, Crypt Key, Intelligence, Software enterprise agreements, Cloud and hosting services and the Foundry team through a strong category focus. She joined the MOD from Worldpay, the UK’s largest payments processing company and has worked in procurement and supply chain roles within financial services throughout her career. Dina now leads the Commercial X programme alongside her Software and Hosting role. She is committed to simplifying the way MOD procures digital, innovation and technology products and services through the pan-MOD CommercialX function.
Professor Meers is a Fellow at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) specialising in application of artificial intelligence and machine learning to Defence and Security challenges. He is the Technical Strategy Leader for Dstl’s AI & Data Science Capability and the Head of Research & Experimentation in the UK’s Defence AI Centre. He is also a Visiting Professor at the University of Southampton where he is focussed on responsible and trustworthy adoption of AI. He provides advice at the highest levels within the Ministry of Defence regarding the opportunities and threats presented by artificial intelligence and machine learning and how the UK can responsibly & safely adopt these technologies to strengthen Defence and National Security.
Professor Meers is a Fellow at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) specialising in application of artificial intelligence and machine learning to Defence and Security challenges. He is the Technical Strategy Leader for Dstl’s AI & Data Science Capability and the Head of Research & Experimentation in the UK’s Defence AI Centre. He is also a Visiting Professor at the University of Southampton where he is focussed on responsible and trustworthy adoption of AI. He provides advice at the highest levels within the Ministry of Defence regarding the opportunities and threats presented by artificial intelligence and machine learning and how the UK can responsibly & safely adopt these technologies to strengthen Defence and National Security.
David Sully is the CEO and co-founder of Advai, a UK-based leader in AI safety and security. With over a decade of experience in Defence and Security within the UK Government, David brings a deep understanding of national security challenges to Advai's purpose. Since its establishment in 2020, Advai has become a trusted partner to UK Defence, Security, and Industry, delivering cutting-edge AI assurance capabilities. The company ensures that advanced AI systems meet the highest standards of safety, reliability, and operational readiness, supporting the secure deployment of technology critical to national and strategic interests.
David Sully is the CEO and co-founder of Advai, a UK-based leader in AI safety and security. With over a decade of experience in Defence and Security within the UK Government, David brings a deep understanding of national security challenges to Advai's purpose. Since its establishment in 2020, Advai has become a trusted partner to UK Defence, Security, and Industry, delivering cutting-edge AI assurance capabilities. The company ensures that advanced AI systems meet the highest standards of safety, reliability, and operational readiness, supporting the secure deployment of technology critical to national and strategic interests.
Mark has 25 years’ experience in the defence industry, primarily in the field of military sensor systems. As the CTO for Prototype Warfare and Disruptive Technology for Leonardo in the UK, Mark is responsible for developing strategic relationships with key customers to understand their problem-areas and, from that, identify opportunities for the development of novel capabilities. From this, Mark develops areas of the Leonardo UK Applied Research Programme to drive these opportunities towards demonstrable entities. In his previous role, Mark was responsible for developing and maintaining the ML/AI technology strategy for Leonardo Electronics UK.
Charlie has 39 years industry experience gained from leading IT globally as Deputy Group Global CIO at BP, as CEO of Global IT Services at Prudential and as Interim CIO at Thames Water. He has worked as an independent consultant helping businesses transform their ability to exploit digital technology.
Charlie Forte was appointed the Chief Information Officer for the Ministry of Defence in January 2018. He is the primary advisor to the Defence Board on Information and Digital and is responsible for strategy and policy on the exploitation, operation, interoperability and protection of information and digital technology across the Ministry of Defence. This includes cyber security and resilience; the promotion of new ways of working, information technology-enabled innovation; and the delivery of effective IT services. Charlie is a member of the Defence Executive Committee and the Strategic Command Executive Committee.
Charlie has 39 years industry experience gained from leading IT globally as Deputy Group Global CIO at BP, as CEO of Global IT Services at Prudential and as Interim CIO at Thames Water. He has worked as an independent consultant helping businesses transform their ability to exploit digital technology.
Charlie Forte was appointed the Chief Information Officer for the Ministry of Defence in January 2018. He is the primary advisor to the Defence Board on Information and Digital and is responsible for strategy and policy on the exploitation, operation, interoperability and protection of information and digital technology across the Ministry of Defence. This includes cyber security and resilience; the promotion of new ways of working, information technology-enabled innovation; and the delivery of effective IT services. Charlie is a member of the Defence Executive Committee and the Strategic Command Executive Committee.
Brigadier Rich Byfield was commissioned into the Royal Corps of Signals in 1994 and has spent the majority of his career delivering communications to Army formations as well as MOD specialist roles. He was attached to The Cabinet Office for COVID-19 planning and promoted to Colonel in 2020, assuming the dual role of Deputy Commander 1(UK) Signal Brigade / ACOS G6 in HQ Allied Rapid Reaction Corps. He then moved to be Chief of Staff to the Army Chief Information Officer and was selected for promotion to Brigadier that same year. Brigadier Byfield assumed his current appointment in October 2024 as the Army Head Digital and Data Officer, Principle AI Officer, and SRO for three Programmes (Defence Learning & Management Capability, Enhanced C2 Spearhead, and Army Estate Wide Internet Access).
Robin Riley has had a diverse career across MOD and wider Government at the interface between science, technology, strategy, delivery, and operations. Robin began his career in MOD's experimental weapons division and has a track record as an innovator and disruptor, including numerous 'firsts' in the adoption of AI, digital, hackathons and more. Robin has expertise in a range of defence-related technologies and has served as an advisor to Ministers on complex and high-profile issues. He specialises in cohering and leading teams with a mix of technical expertise. Robin currently leads the UK's central pathfinding effort to harness AI at scale and pace for Defence, as Head of AI Capability in the Defence AI Centre.
Robin Riley has had a diverse career across MOD and wider Government at the interface between science, technology, strategy, delivery, and operations. Robin began his career in MOD's experimental weapons division and has a track record as an innovator and disruptor, including numerous 'firsts' in the adoption of AI, digital, hackathons and more. Robin has expertise in a range of defence-related technologies and has served as an advisor to Ministers on complex and high-profile issues. He specialises in cohering and leading teams with a mix of technical expertise. Robin currently leads the UK's central pathfinding effort to harness AI at scale and pace for Defence, as Head of AI Capability in the Defence AI Centre.
Chrissy Wong is the Assistant Head Technical Lead for DAIC Capability Development, responsible for the technical direction, developments, and delivery of the AI programmes in DAIC. Chrissy graduated with a PhD in physics from the University of Edinburgh, specialising in optics, biophysics, and condensed matter physics. She then joined Dstl as an Operational Analyst, working on a variety of Land Environment challenges with the Army, such as within the Challenger 2 Life Extension Programme, Army Training Data Exploitation and Land Formation Analysis. Chrissy then moved to the Dstl Underwater Group as a Senior Scientist, leading the modelling and simulation work strand for active acoustic signature, working with the Royal Navy. Finally moving to the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) as the Defence Partner for UK Strategic Command, focusing on the exploitation and adoption of innovation into UKStratCom, including helping to enable industry SME’s to transition the “valley of death”. This diverse technical career within Defence has given Chrissy an extensive understanding of the S&T and innovation ecosystem within Defence, which is grounded in ensuring that S&T innovation directly meets the needs of Defence end users. This includes having a deep understanding of the challenges Defence faces with adopting and scaling innovation, which leads to Chrissy’s passion as the technical lead for the Defence AI Centre; to be able to solve and remove these challenges to enable safe, responsible and explainable AI capability to be deployed and serviced at an enterprise scale.
Chrissy Wong is the Assistant Head Technical Lead for DAIC Capability Development, responsible for the technical direction, developments, and delivery of the AI programmes in DAIC. Chrissy graduated with a PhD in physics from the University of Edinburgh, specialising in optics, biophysics, and condensed matter physics. She then joined Dstl as an Operational Analyst, working on a variety of Land Environment challenges with the Army, such as within the Challenger 2 Life Extension Programme, Army Training Data Exploitation and Land Formation Analysis. Chrissy then moved to the Dstl Underwater Group as a Senior Scientist, leading the modelling and simulation work strand for active acoustic signature, working with the Royal Navy. Finally moving to the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) as the Defence Partner for UK Strategic Command, focusing on the exploitation and adoption of innovation into UKStratCom, including helping to enable industry SME’s to transition the “valley of death”. This diverse technical career within Defence has given Chrissy an extensive understanding of the S&T and innovation ecosystem within Defence, which is grounded in ensuring that S&T innovation directly meets the needs of Defence end users. This includes having a deep understanding of the challenges Defence faces with adopting and scaling innovation, which leads to Chrissy’s passion as the technical lead for the Defence AI Centre; to be able to solve and remove these challenges to enable safe, responsible and explainable AI capability to be deployed and serviced at an enterprise scale.
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