Chris Shepherd
Maritime Capability & Innovation Lead, UK Defence Solutions Centre
The UK Defence Solutions Centre (DSC) is an independent organisation established to help support industry and the UK MOD, ensuring alignment between military capability and industrial strategy with a primary focus on the international market and UK prosperity. Chris joined the UK DSC at the start of 2019 as the new Maritime capability and innovation lead.
Having graduated from the University of Leeds in Mechanical Engineering and Business Management Chris’ career started in the defence sector, over the next 15 years he project managed some of the largest and most complex defence programmes in the UK including Sea Ceptor, Marshall and MMCM (Maritime Mine Counter Measures), and has spent time working with or alongside nearly every large UK defence organisation as well as inside DE&S.
Prior to joining the DSC Chris was the Sector Director for Mine Warfare in Thales involved heavily in the product strategy and introduction of autonomous offboard systems, and the development of drone of drone systems. Most recently Chris has been involved in establishing the first cross sector innovation challenge between the Royal Navy and the offshore energy sector culminating in an innovation lab unfortunately now delayed due to Covid-19, additionally he has been working alongside Navy Headquarters to undertake capability audits and thought leadership on how technology and autonomous assets may change the future battlespace.
Having graduated from the University of Leeds in Mechanical Engineering and Business Management Chris’ career started in the defence sector, over the next 15 years he project managed some of the largest and most complex defence programmes in the UK including Sea Ceptor, Marshall and MMCM (Maritime Mine Counter Measures), and has spent time working with or alongside nearly every large UK defence organisation as well as inside DE&S.
Prior to joining the DSC Chris was the Sector Director for Mine Warfare in Thales involved heavily in the product strategy and introduction of autonomous offboard systems, and the development of drone of drone systems. Most recently Chris has been involved in establishing the first cross sector innovation challenge between the Royal Navy and the offshore energy sector culminating in an innovation lab unfortunately now delayed due to Covid-19, additionally he has been working alongside Navy Headquarters to undertake capability audits and thought leadership on how technology and autonomous assets may change the future battlespace.
