Mark Townley
Dr Mark Townley, Combat Systems Director, BAE Systems Maritime – Naval Ships, UK will deliver the opening keynote address at the fifth Engine As A Weapon V (EAAW V) International Symposium 2013 organised by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST), and taking place Tuesday 16 – Wednesday 17 July 2013 at the University of Bristol.
With its theme ‘Delivering Military Effect: A holistic approach to combat and platform system integration’ EAAW V, designed to provide a unique opportunity for experts in combat and platform system design to expose and explore the integration challenges faced, from energy management to open systems, will build upon the success of four previous events in the series and provides a forum for information exchange and much needed analysis and debate.
“I can think of no-one better than Dr Mark Townley to get the symposium off to a flying start, ” says symposium chairman Cdr Matt Bolton RN. “He has had a fascinating career which started in the Royal Navy, then saw him joining Plessey Naval Systems working within the defence industry where, within four years he set up the GEC Marconi Combat System Group.
“He then worked on the Australian Minehunter Coastal contract, took on the role of Operations Director at the newly formed NRTA partnering joint venture, Flagship Training Limited; and then becoming the Brunei and Malaysia Frigate Project Director, and subsequently the T45 Destroyer Project Director responsible for the Combat Management, Electro-Optic Gun Fire Control and Command Support Systems and associated LANs as well as the overall account management of the total BAE Systems Combat System solution. Then came a period as Sales/Marketing and Combat System Account Director responsible for the leverage of T45 and related products into export bids.
“In May 2005 Mark Townley joined the UK Hydrographic Office as the Director of Operations and Deputy Chief Executive, after which he moved to Astrium UK as the Skynet 5 Ground Programme Director. From there he joined the CLM consortium initially as Head of Systems Integration for the Olympics Project, and then Head of Business Services responsible for Prime Contracts and Legal, Human Resources as well as IT and Systems Integration.
“He was then seconded to Crossrail to ensure the critical 3B review was achieved in March 2010 – he’s a man who knows about getting things done on time! Then followed a period as a permanent employee of Crossrail, before he re-joined BAE Systems in September 2011 as the Naval Command and Information System (NCIS) Director in the Maritime Group. He took on the role of Naval Ships Combat Systems Director in April 2012 responsible for all Combat Systems programmes, over 750 staff and an annual turnover of £150m. I can certainly guarantee that our delegates will listen to a highly stimulating, topical and relevant presentation.
Distinguished patrons
EAAW V is held under the patronage of:
- Rear Admiral Ian Jess, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff Support, Ministry of Defence, UK
- Rear Admiral Henry Parker, Director (Carrier Strike), Ministry of Defence, UK
- Cdre (WE) Ir Jan Vos RNlN, Programme Manager SPEER, Support Command, The Netherlands
- Cdre (ME) Dr Ir Arie Jan de Waard RNlN, Deputy Director of Operational Readiness, Ministry of Defence, The Netherlands
The symposium is sponsored by Babcock, Imtech and GE and supported by the IET, ONR, SNAME and SUT.
The EAAW V Programme
Following the welcome by Cdr Bolton and the keynote address by Dr Townley, Cdr Neil Gibbs and Cdr Jeremy Bailey, Ministry of Defence will respond to the question “The Ministry of Defence Marine Systems Development Strategy: A vehicle for fully harnessing the resources we have?”
Dr Graham Wallis, MBDA then chairs the ‘Future Platform Systems’ session before the networking lunch on the first day, after which Lt Cdr Ian Hassall RN, Ministry of Defence takes the chair for the afternoon session on ‘Military Effect’. At the end of the first day a reception and symposium dinner will take place in the magnificent Dining Hall at Wills Hall.
The second day of EAAW V sees Lt Stefan van Osch RNIN, Ministry of Defence, UK chair the session devoted to ‘Complex System Integration’ throughout the morning; and after the networking lunch ‘Future Combat Systems’ come under the symposium spotlight in a session chaired by Oliver Simmonds, GE Power Conversion. The symposium ends after the Symposium Summary by Rear Admiral Nigel Guild CB FREng, a Past President of The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology.
Further information and registration
Further information on all aspects of EAAW V, including sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities is available from www.imarest.org/eaaw. Registration is now open, with an Early Bird discount extended until 10 June 2013, and special rates for IMarEST members, Marine Partners and supporting organisation as well as students.
Looking back
EAAW IV ‘Battle-winning Naval Engineering: Uniting weapon and marine systems’ was held in mid-September 2011 at The Old Royal Naval College at Greenwich and, with its keynote address by Mr Jimmy D Smith, the USN’s Director for the Above Water Sensors Directorate within the Program Executive Office for Integrated Warfare Systems, delivered by Cdr Patrick Bennett USN, NAVSEA Technical Liaison Officer, Ministry of Defence, UK attracted delegates from Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands, Pakistan, Russia, UK and USA representing engineers, scientists, researchers, designers, manufacturers and students, all eager to participate in the growing demand for much needed knowledge transfer between the combat system and marine engineering communities.
About the Institute of Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST)
The IMarEST is an international membership body and learned society for all marine professionals. The IMarEST (a registered charity) is the first Institute to bring together marine engineers, scientists and technologists into one international multi-disciplinary professional body. It is the largest marine organisation of its kind with a worldwide membership of around 15, 000 based in over 100 countries.
Working with the global marine community, the IMarEST promotes the scientific development of marine engineering, science and technology, providing opportunities for the exchange of ideas and practices and upholding the status, standards and expertise of marine professionals worldwide.
The IMarEST has a growing network of Corporate Marine Partners who benefit from a tailored programme to support each global organisation’s specific requirements. Packages provide companies with a competitive edge by investing in staff and supporting Initial and Continuous Professional Development, supporting local, national, or international promotional programmes, providing specialised recruitment solutions, accrediting training courses, creating bespoke networking events and providing company employees with access to one of the largest online knowledge resources – the IMarEST Virtual Library.
The IMarEST is a respected authority in every maritime country. It is a Non-Governmental Organisation with consultative status at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), observer status at the International Oceanographic Commission, and it has special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC), which facilitates its access to other international intergovernmental meetings where its specialized marine expertise is of particular use, e.g., the United Nations meetings on Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) and the work of the International Seabed Authority on marine mining. It is a nominated and licensed body of the Engineering Council (UK), a member of the Science Council and has significant links with many other maritime organisations worldwide.
IMarEST runs a series of industry leading and technically excellent events and conferences as well as publishing internationally recognised publications: Marine Engineers Review (MER); Shipping World and Shipbuilder; Maritime IT and Electronics; Marine Scientist; and Offshore Technology. www.imarest.org
