Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre played host to Defence Procurement, Research, Technology & Exportability (DPRTE) 2019 for the first time as representatives from the Ministry of Defence and other public bodies, preferred contractors, the supply chain and academia came together at the event, held on 28 March.
The event, held across a single day, drew a record attendance as over 1500 visitors made their way to Farnborough to engage within a marketplace valued at over £20 billion annually.
DPRTE 2019 hosted five unique Knowledge Transfer Zones, each designed to increase the knowledge and skills of both buyers and suppliers at the event.
Each zone – Technology & Innovation; Supply Chain & Partnering; Buyer Excellence in Procurement; Export & Business Growth; and Doing Business with the US DoD – featured a range of educational sessions that allowed attendees to discover and share ideas for the five themes.
The Keynote Arena was a huge draw for attendees as it brought together some of the most influential speakers from across the defence procurement and supply chain marketplace.
Jim Carter, Commercial Director, Supply Chain, MOD; Dr Lucy Mason, Head of DASA; Jacqui Rock, Commercial Director, DIO; Professor Trevor Taylor from RUSI; and Tracy Buckingham, Head of Operations and Security Exports at DIT DSO, all gave insightful takes on the latest developments within the defence industry.
Topics covered included deeper collaboration with the supply chain; innovation in defence; DIO’s progress on implementing its commercial strategy; the use of artificial intelligence in defence; and the role of the DIT’s Defence & Security Organisation.
Jason Fox, best known for his role on hit TV show SAS: Who Dares Wins, closed the keynotes with a talk on leadership centred on his experiences serving in the Armed Forces.
The event also featured seven Networking & Collaboration Zones – Supply Chain Engagement; Defence Procurement Pavilion; Innovation; Defence Market Engagement; International Exporting; US DoD Engagement; and the Product Showcase Exhibition – which provided a wealth of opportunities for attendees to meet and discuss buyer and supplier opportunities.
The Product Showcase Exhibition featured around 120 exhibitors from a diverse range of organisations demonstrating their products and services directly to key decision makers engaged within the defence supply chain.
A full, in-depth review of DPRTE 2019 will appear on Defence Online soon
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