Air Vice Marshal Simon Ellard CB FREng

Director of Combat Air, Defence Equipment and Support, UK Ministry of Defence

Air Vice-Marshal Simon Ellard has a distinguished career as a senior engineering leader in the Royal Air Force and internationally in many project director roles, spanning over 30 years. He played a pivotal role in the initiation of new projects, as well as procurement and airworthiness management of combat aircraft and unmanned air systems. He has led military support elements on operations and helped develop a diverse RAF workforce to meet the challenges of new systems. He also led a successful RAF STEM outreach programme, encouraging young people to consider military engineering careers.