CDAO Defence UK 2026

Day 1 27 January
Day 2 28 January

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8:00 AM

Registration & Light Breakfast
8:30 AM

Welcome Remarks from Corinium

Linda Lastovych - Senior Production Director - Defense - CORINIUM INTELLIGENCE
8:35 AM

Chairperson's Opening Remarks

Air Vice Marshal (Ret’d) Bruce Hedley - Former Director Joint Warfare - UK ARMED FORCES
Retaining Strategic Overmatch Through IT Modernization
9:30 AM

Opening Keynote: The Strategic Importance of Digital and AI for National Security
- Outlining the UK’s parliamentary priorities for defence, security, and technology in an era of geopolitical uncertainty.
- Highlighting the role of data, AI, and digital transformation in strengthening the UK’s defence posture and allied collaboration.
- Addressing the intersection of policy, procurement, and innovation in building a modern, resilient national security infrastructure.
- Emphasizing the importance of cross-sector partnerships to accelerate capability development and deliver operational advantage.
10:00 AM

NATO’s Digital Transformation Implementation Strategy: Interoperability and Innovation for the Alliance

Colonel Arnel David - Task Force MAVEN Director - NATO
- Advancing NATO’s Digital by Design agenda to ensure allies can operate seamlessly across domains.
- Building data-centric C2 frameworks that enhance decision speed and multinational integration.
- Harnessing emerging and disruptive technologies to strengthen multi-domain operations.
- Driving interoperability through standards, architectures, and partnerships with nations, industry, and academia.
10:30 AM

Networking Break
Strategic Perspectives
11:00 AM

Head Capability Coalition

Brigadier Stu Nasse OBE - Senior Staff Intelligence Officer, Joint Staff Intelligence Directorate - BRITISH ARMY
- How the Capability Coalition is driving coherence, integration, and digital enablement across Army force elements
- Leveraging data, architectures, and emerging technologies to accelerate readiness and operational advantage
- Strengthening joint and pan-Defence collaboration to align capability development with future threat environments
- Building a more adaptable, interoperable Army through experimentation, accelerated delivery, and partner engagement
11:30 AM

Enabling Defence Capability Through Armaments, Industrial Strategy, and International Cooperation

Confirmed Senior Representative - - UK NATIONAL ARMAMENTS
- Strengthening the UK’s armaments strategy to accelerate capability delivery and maintain technological advantage
- Enhancing industrial collaboration, supply-chain resilience, and rapid acquisition of critical technologies
- Integrating digital systems, open architectures, and interoperability standards across UK and allied forces
- Aligning procurement, R&D, and innovation pathways to support future force design and multi-domain operations
12:00 PM

Panel Discussion: AI for Defence: From Experimentation to Operational Advantage
- How can Defence accelerate the move from AI pilot projects to scaled, mission-critical capabilities?
- What are the biggest trust and assurance challenges for deploying AI in command, control, and targeting?
- In what ways can the MoD and NATO leverage partnerships with industry and academia to stay ahead of adversaries?
- How should Defence balance rapid adoption of dual-use AI with the need for ethical safeguards and governance?
- What lessons from Ukraine and other recent conflicts can inform AI’s role in contested multi-domain operations?
12:45 PM

Lunch & Networking Break
1:45 PM

Shaping Defence’s Digital Future: Architecture, Innovation, and Trust

Mivy James - Chief Technology Officer - UK MINISTRY OF DEFENCE (Subject to Final Confirmation)
- Defining a coherent digital architecture that underpins integration across Services and domains.
- Driving innovation pipelines to bring emerging technologies into Defence securely and at speed.
- Embedding trust, governance, and accountability into digital transformation and AI adoption.
- Strengthening collaboration with industry and academia to deliver sustainable technological advantage
2:15 PM

Panel Discussion: Data Analytics and Cloud for Decision Advantage in Defence
- How can Defence build a resilient digital backbone through secure cloud and data fabrics across all domains?
- What are the biggest challenges in ensuring data interoperability and standards across Services, allies, and partners?
- How can enterprise analytics improve operational readiness and decision-making at both strategic and tactical levels?
- What role does cloud integration at the edge play in enabling warfighters with real-time insights?
- How should Defence prioritise cyber security and data assurance as digital platforms scale?
3:30 PM

Networking Break in the Exhibition Area
3:30 PM

AI for Global Security: Responsible Deployment, Governance, and Multilateral Cooperation

Aaron Kalvani - AI Customer Engineer - UNITED NATIONS
- How the UN is shaping global norms, governance frameworks, and multilateral cooperation on responsible AI
- Opportunities and risks in deploying AI for peacekeeping, humanitarian response, and global security missions
- Building ethical, transparent, and trustworthy AI systems that align with international law and human rights standards
- Strengthening collaboration between governments, industry, and international organisations to ensure safe and mission-aligned AI adoption
4:00 PM

Command and Control in the Digital Age: NATO’s Path to Interoperability”

Nikolaos Kipenis - Air Command & Control Capability Development - NATO ALLIED COMMAND TRANSFORMATION
- Redefining command and control frameworks to operate effectively in multi-domain and contested environments.
- Building a data-driven C2 architecture that enables faster, more resilient decision-making across the Alliance.
- Addressing the challenges of interoperability, standards, and information assurance between NATO and national forces.
- Leveraging AI, cloud, and analytics to strengthen situational awareness and support commanders at every echelon.
4:30 PM

Closing Remarks
4:45 PM

Welcome Reception
6:30 PM

End of Day 1

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8:00 AM

Registration & Light Breakfast
8:50 AM

Chairperson's Opening Remarks

Air Vice Marshal (Ret’d) Bruce Hedley - Former Director Joint Warfare - UK ARMED FORCES
9:00 AM

Transforming the Defence Workforce: Enabling Digital Advantage Through People and Technology

Dr James Cook OBE - Director People Transformation - UK MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
- How workforce transformation underpins Defence’s digital and data strategy
- Leveraging data-driven insights to build a modern, agile, and adaptable defence workforce
- Integrating digital tools and HR systems to enhance efficiency and operational readiness
- Fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement across Defence
9:30 AM

Strengthening Cyber and IT Resilience Across the Bundeswehr

Colonel Michael Jäger - Head of Policy, Planning and Procurement, Cyber and Information Systems - GERMAN MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
- Advancing Germany’s defence digital transformation through modernization of IT, cyber, and information capabilities under the Cyber and Information Domain Service.
- Enhancing secure and resilient networks to enable agile, interoperable operations with NATO and EU allies.
- Driving integrated cyber defence initiatives that align strategy, governance, and operational readiness across the armed forces.
- Leveraging emerging technologies such as AI, cloud, and automation to build long-term resilience in contested digital environments.
10:00 AM

Industry Leaders Panel Discussion
- How can industry best support the delivery of the UK Defence Data Strategy and ensure alignment with MoD’s digital transformation priorities?
- What approaches are proving most effective in building trusted, interoperable data ecosystems across allied nations and coalition partners?
- How do companies balance the push for rapid innovation in AI and advanced analytics with the need for security, governance, and ethical oversight?
- Where can the defence sector learn most from commercial best practices in cloud adoption, platform engineering, and large-scale data management?
10:45 AM

Networking Break in the Exhibition Area
11:15 AM

Driving Defence Innovation: Bridging Government, Industry, and Emerging Technology

Adie Holt - Venture Director - FORM1PARTNERS
- Enabling faster adoption of disruptive technologies across Defence through agile collaboration models
- Lessons from venture and industry ecosystems to accelerate capability delivery
- Aligning innovation outcomes with operational needs and strategic priorities
- Building effective partnerships between government, start-ups, and established industry players
11:45 AM

Delivering Defence Innovation at Scale: From Concept to Capability

Stuart Laws - Innovation Architect - UK DEFENCE INNOVATION
- Advancing the UK’s Defence Innovation ecosystem to accelerate capability development
- Bridging the gap between emerging technologies and operational deployment
- Strengthening collaboration across government, industry, and international partners
- Embedding innovation into Defence culture to drive agility, adaptability, and long-term advantage
12:15 PM

Accelerating Allied Innovation: The Role of the London Tech Bridge in Defence Collaboration

Marc Christino - Chief Innovation Officer - US AND ROYAL NAVY LONDON TECH BRIDGE
- How the London Tech Bridge fosters transatlantic innovation between the U.S. Navy, Royal Navy, and industry
- Leveraging dual-use technologies to address shared defence challenges and accelerate capability delivery
- Building agile innovation ecosystems that connect start-ups, academia, and defence end-users
- Strengthening interoperability and technological advantage through collaborative experimentation and prototyping
12:45 PM

Lunch & Networking
2:00 PM

Accelerating Space Innovation: Partnering with Industry to Advance Future Defense Capabilities

Lieutenant Colonel Vinny Pande - Deputy Director - SPACEWERX
- How SpaceWERX is shaping the innovation pipeline for space-based capabilities through rapid prototyping and commercial partnerships.
- Leveraging emerging technologies, including AI, autonomy, sensing, and resilient space architectures, to strengthen mission advantage.
- Building effective collaboration models between the U.S. Space Force, industry, and international partners to accelerate fielding.
- Ensuring resilience, scalability, and interoperability in future space systems supporting multi-domain operations
2:30 PM

Strengthening NATO’s Digital Backbone: Space Technology, Resilience, and Mission Advantage

Larysa Patten - Head, Space Technology Adoption and Resilience - NCIA (Subject to Final Confirmation)
- Advancing NATO’s approach to space technology adoption for secure, interoperable operations
- Building resilience across space and cyber domains to ensure mission continuity in contested environments
- Integrating data, AI, and emerging technologies to enhance situational awareness and decision superiority
- Fostering collaboration between Allies, industry, and academia to accelerate innovation in the space domain
3:00 PM

Strengthening Europe’s Space Resilience: Strategy, Innovation, and Secure Multi-Nation Collaboration

Mario Blokken - Strategic Advisor - EU AGENCY FOR THE SPACE PROGRAMME
- Advancing Europe’s space ambitions through secure, resilient, and interoperable satellite and navigation systems.
- How the EU Space Programme is integrating emerging technologies to enhance situational awareness and operational decision advantage.
- Strengthening cooperation between EU institutions, member states, industry, and international partners to accelerate capability development.
- Ensuring cybersecurity, resilience, and trust in Europe’s critical space infrastructure in support of defence and security missions
3:30 PM

Networking Break in the Exhibition Area
4:00 PM

Operational Lessons and Digital Innovation from Ukraine: Strengthening Defence Resilience and Decision Advantage

Confirmed Senior Representative - - UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES
- Key operational insights from Ukraine’s defence against full-scale aggression and their implications for modern force design.
- How digital tools, data integration, and emerging technologies have shaped battlefield effectiveness and accelerated adaptation.
- Strengthening resilience, interoperability, and rapid innovation through partnerships with allies, industry, and civil society.
- Building the future force: agility, decentralized decision-making, and technology-enabled operations in high-intensity conflict
4:30 PM

Harnessing Defence: Academia Partnerships to Accelerate Innovation and Capability Development

Heather Goldstraw - Director of Strategic Relationships for Defence and Security - CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY
- Strengthening collaboration between Defence, industry, and academia to drive research, experimentation, and technology adoption.
- The role of academic institutions like Cranfield in developing future talent, advancing critical sciences, and supporting defence modernisation.
- Building effective partnership frameworks that translate research into deployable capability at pace and scale.
- Leveraging cross-sector relationships to enhance digital skills, innovation pipelines, and long-term force readiness
5:00 PM

Chairperson's Closing Remarks
5:15 PM

End of Conference

CDAO Defence UK schedule

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