Speakers
Keynote address
Paul Marshall was born and schooled in the West Midlands before joining the Royal Navy in 1988. He studied Engineering (BEng(Hons) 1992) at the Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon and at University College, London (MSc 1997); and he is a graduate of the Advanced Command and Staff Course (2001) and Higher Command and Staff Course (2015) at the Joint Command and Staff College, Shrivenham. He is a graduate of UK/US Rising Leaders Programme (2014) and the Major Projects Leadership Academy (2018).
His operational career at sea has seen tours in the Far East (1992, 1997) including the handover of Hong Kong, counter-narcotics duties in the Caribbean (1994), the Gulf (1997), the South Atlantic (2002), Africa (1989, 2002) and in support of Operation TELIC (2nd Gulf War, 2003). From 2010-2012 he was the Staff Marine Engineer Officer of the Portsmouth Flotilla, super-intending the operational engineering activity across half of the RN’s surface fleet. Roles ashore have included helping to establish the UK’s Joint Forces Command as the Principal Staff Officer to the 4* Commander, for which he was appointed CBE (2015), as well as, Advisor to the Head of the Iraqi Navy (2006-2007) when he was awarded the US Bronze Star for Meritorious Service; and the Assistant Naval Attaché in Washington DC (2007-2010).
He has served in major programme delivery roles, mainly in engineering transformation and shipbuilding which also involved delivering T26 frigates from design to manufacture and international export as Senior Responsible Owner. On promotion to Rear Admiral, he became the first Director of the Naval Acquisition portfolio which included acting as SRO for delivery of the T31 Frigate and Fleet Solid Support Programme.
In 2022 he moved from Navy Command to Defence Equipment and Support, assuming the role of Director General Ships, responsible for the acquisition and support of the surface Fleet. In July 2024, under the DE&S Transformation, he assumed the role of Director General Gateway, responsible for the single point of entry for all Defence requirements into DE&S.
He was appointed CB in the 2023 New Year Honours list is also the MOD’s Defence Engineering Champion and Head of Profession (Engineering) and President of RN Rugby League. Paul left the Regular Royal Navy in June 2023 and is now employed as a Senior Civil Servant and a Royal Naval Reservist. He is DE&S Reserves Champion, Sustainability Champion, and Co-Chair of the DE&S Race and Culture Network.
Paul enjoys keeping fit, listening to, and playing music, is an avid reader (of anything but especially history and philosophy), DIY reluctant participant, enthusiastic photographer and (sometimes) poet.