DPRTE 2020: Interview with the Submarine Delivery Agency’s Ruth Todd

April 8, 2020

As part of our our preview of Defence Procurement, Research, Technology and Exportability (DPRTE) 2020, Defence Online caught up with Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) Commercial Director, Ruth Todd.

As you may be aware, given the evolving COVID-19 situation, DPRTE has been rescheduled to 3 September, still taking place at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre.

DPRTE is the UK’s leading annual defence procurement and supply chain event, bringing together over 2000 key decision makers from across the UK’s £20 billion-plus annual defence acquisition and supply chain marketplace.

This one-day event, officially supported by a wealth of leading defence procurement and support organisations, provides a unique platform for both buyers and suppliers at all levels to engage across a range of interactive and educational features, designed specifically to enhance knowledge, collaboration and opportunity.

The SDA recently released its first corporate plan. What has the feedback been to it?

Our first corporate plan, covering the period from 2018 to 2019, focused on establishing the SDA as a newly formed executive agency.  My perspective as Commercial Director is that the plan set out the direction for the SDA to become a high-performing organisation delivering a sovereign capability.  From my point of view, it described our Commercial intent to be part of the wider Defence Commercial Organisation to become increasingly professional and to embed continuous improvement into everything we do. 

What have been the highlights since SDA’s inception in 2018?

The SDA was formally established as an Executive Agency in April 2018 to strengthen the procurement and in-service support of nuclear-powered submarines.  The stand up of the SDA highlights the importance of the deterrent within the overall UK’s Defence capability.  It is a national endeavour with the nuclear enterprise undertaking the design, construction, operation and disposal of submarines which are one of the largest and most complex platforms in the world.  This can only be delivered through working closely and collaboratively with our industry partners and the Royal Navy to lead a high-performing industrial enterprise which is focused on providing submarines safely and securely that are value-for-money for the tax payer. 

Since its inception, further commitments have been made to the build of the new Dreadnought and Astute submarines whilst maintaining the Continuous At Sea Deterrent (CASD) and other operational requirements and support of the submarines already serving our nation.  The SDA is deepening its position as a high-performing organisation; bringing in additional expertise and capabilities; such as a Technical Directorate and of course the Commercial and Supply Chain Directorate that I lead.

What can you tell us about the creation of the Supply Chain Team and how it can benefit the supplier base?

The Commercial and Supply Chain Directorate is formed of three teams; the Commercial HQ Team, the Supplier Management Team and the Supply Chain Improvement Team.  Collectively, it spans the entirety of the SDA business and its supplier base.

The Supplier Management Team is responsible for analysing our supplier base and leading the strategy to support the complex and highly specialised supply chain and take forward initiatives to deliver improvements.  The Supply Chain Improvement team’s emphasis is within the SDA to ensure that we play our part in bringing together the national endeavour and work collaboratively with our suppliers. 

The benefits are already being seen, with the strengthening of our industrial partnerships with our Tier 1 suppliers as well as understanding the sub-tier suppliers risks.  We fully support the government’s Levelling Up agenda and are proud to be part of an Enterprise that involves suppliers throughout the UK.

How important is an event like DPRTE 2020 for the SDA in terms of its ability to engage with the SMEs and the supply chain?

DPRTE allows us as an organisation, and my Directorate, to speak to a large audience, many of whom will be part of the Submarine Enterprise supply chain.  It gives me the opportunity to tell you about the improvements we are making in the SDA, to gather good practice from a wide range of people I will speak directly to today as well as to see the breadth of the capability and skills that the defence supply chain has. 

The SDA will be at DPRTE’s Equipment & Supplies knowledge transfer zone. What kind of advice and information will you be able to provide them?

Some of my team, including the Supplier Engagement rep, will be on hand in the Knowledge Transfer Zone to talk with you about the essential support the Nuclear Enterprise provides to the overall Defence Capability and how we all work together to achieve this.  We will also be able to talk about our Supply Chain modelling capability.

What message are you keen to get out to the defence supply chain?

I am keen to spread the message that by working closely together, we can and will continue to develop a high performing, resilient industrial base with the skills and capabilities to deliver on our critical programmes in both the near and the long term.  We are committed to ensuring we have the right skills and talent in the nuclear enterprise and we are looking to utilise the knowledge, skills and experience of our people to enhance the organisation’s competences and capability.  We also look to industry to continue to do the same.

What are the SDA’s ambitions for the year ahead?

The Nuclear Enterprise already comprises of some of the nation’s most experienced defence experts delivering capabilities to the Royal Navy.  I have an ambitious Commercial capability agenda within the SDA to deepen our professionalism and support CASD.  Did you know that we reached a landmark 50 years of the Continuous At Sea Deterrent in 2019?  We are now pressing forward into a new year of hard work in which I feel sure our workforce will remain united in their pride and passion for delivering on the national endeavour.

What are you most looking forward to during DPRTE 2020?

To sharing our successes as a collaborative Enterprise and to meeting other professionals from across the supply chain.

image © Crown Copyright

To hear Ruth Todd’s Keynote speech and visit the SDA at DPRTE 2020’s Equipment and Supplies Pavilion, book your place today and join over 1,500 key decision makers at this hugely important one-day event – https://www.dprte.co.uk/book-now/

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