In this episode*, Hannah Green speaks to Sir Tom Copinger-Symes, Lt Gen KCB CBE, Cyber and Specialist Operations Command, Fergus Hay, Co-Founder and CEO of The Hacking Games, and Carl Tillett, Data Management Lead and a gamer from BAE Systems Digital Intelligence, about how esports can help defence and national security sectors connect with new audiences.

Sir Tom and Fergus explain why, as geopolitical tensions mount and warfare changes rapidly, evolving the way we find, attract and train talent is vital for closing digital skills gaps. Sharing key learnings from conflicts such as the war in Ukraine, they look at the important role of esports in developing the cyber and digital skills essential for modern warfare. In addition, Carl talks about his own experiences growing up as a gamer, looking at how the skills he learned – from technical to collaborative capabilities – set him up for success in his career today.

Tune in for an insightful discussion on a range of themes, including how gaming in defence has changed over centuries, the importance of meeting people where they are, key ethical considerations, and why communicating defence’s purpose is vital for inspiring new talent pools.

Got a question or an idea for our next episode? Email us at poppodcast@baesystems.com

Learn more about the International Defence Esports Games, an initiative launched by the Ministry of Defence which will see military personnel from over 40 nations compete to sharpen their cyber and digital skills. Read about it here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-launches-military-esports-games-to-boost-cyber-skills

* The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the participants and do not represent or reflect the official policy, position, or endorsement of BAE Systems. BAE Systems accepts no responsibility or liability for any statements made during this recording.

In this episode, Hannah Green is joined by two of Digital Intelligence’s subsea domain experts – Chris Cook, Digital Defence Business Development Director, and Tim O'Neill, Campaign Lead for Subsea Intelligence – to discuss the evolving world of the underwater battlespace.

This is an arena that has developed significantly over recent years. Technological advances have increased the range and scope of seabed activities, in turn bringing anti-submarine warfare and the protection of critical undersea infrastructure such as fibreoptic cables and gas pipelines into the spotlight. Today, subsea sits at the intersection of defence, national security and economic prosperity – making it a key domain of strategic competition.

Tune in to hear how today’s governments are approaching the subsea domain and the capability gaps that currently exist. Tim and Chris also discuss the need to treat subsea data as a strategic asset and enhance data sharing processes – both within government and with partners – in order to deliver an advantage in the contested and congested underwater battlespace.

Learn more in our whitepaper - Exploiting the underwater battlespace: https://www.baesystems.com/en-uk/insight/exploiting-the-underwater-battlespace-whitepaper

Got a question or an idea for our next episode? Email us at poppodcast@baesystems.com

*Note: The reference to the UK MoD’s ‘Autonomy Strategy’ at 28:00mins is actually referring to the 2024 Defence Drone Strategy: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defence-drone-strategy-the-uks-approach-to-defence-uncrewed-systems.

In this episode, Jess Ridout speaks to Katy Hampshire, Director of Programmes at the UK’s leading social mobility charity, The Sutton Trust, to explore the importance of increasing socioeconomic diversity in tech.

While the sector has made some progress when it comes to gender and ethnicity, Katy unpacks why continuing to drive social mobility is vital for both individuals and the broader UK economy. Katy and Jess discuss the current state of play, including how tech is behind other sectors such as finance and law, and look at steps organisations can take to create more opportunities for talented people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Tune in as Katy outlines how The Sutton Trust is helping young people through initiatives such as its Careers Plus Tech and Digital Programme, and shares stories of those now thriving in competitive industries because of the charity’s early support.

Got a question or an idea for our next episode? Email us at poppodcast@baesystems.com

Learn more about The Sutton Trust: https://www.suttontrust.com/

Read more about The Sutton Trust’s Careers Plus Tech and Digital Programme: https://www.suttontrust.com/news-opinion/all-news-opinion/breaking-down-barriers-to-careers-in-tech-and-consulting/

References:

• https://www.techtalentcharter.co.uk/reports/diversity-in-tech-report-2024/
• https://www.techuk.org/resource/techuk-growth-plan.html
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ai-opportunities-action-plan/ai-opportunities-action-plan
• https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_Report_2025.pdf