Presented By
Director General Naval Force Development, RCN
former Canadian Ambassador to the Peoples Republic of China
Vice-President
Engineering and Technology, Babcock Canada
CD BEng MSc PEng
Principal Naval Architect, BMT
CMM, CD, RCN (Ret’d)
President & Senior Analyst, Canadian Global Affairs Institute
Strategic Advisor, Babcock Canada
CEng, Global Naval Business Lead, Submarines and Unmanned Systems, Lloyd’s Register
Head of Product Sales Submarines
Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH
Director of Technology Management, Saab Kockums
AO, RAN (Ret’d)
Senior Executive Vice President, Head of Naval Ship International Business, Hanwha Ocean
Strategic Advisor, BMT
MMM, MSC, CD, PME, RCN (Ret’d)
Senior Partner, CFN Consultants
Editor in Chief, Vanguard
CD, RCN (Ret’d)
CMM, MSM, CD, RCN (Ret’d)
Process Engineer - Team Lead, BluMetric Environmental Inc.
Senior Fellow, Macdonald-Laurier Institute
Copyright ©2023 Vanguard Canada Media
Anthony March
Vice-President Engineering and Technology, Babcock Canada
Tony joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1997 as a Marine Systems Engineer. Following graduation from the Royal Military College of Canada and completion of initial occupational training, he was deployed to the Arabian Gulf in HMCS Montréal part of Operation APOLLO, Canada's contribution to the international campaign against terrorism.
In 2003, Tony volunteered for Submarine Service and completed his training and qualification and went on to serve as the Marine Systems Engineering Officer in HMC Submarines Victoria, Windsor, and Corner Brook. Subsequently, Tony completed a variety of offshore postings in Halifax and was selected for Post-Graduate Training in the UK. Posted to Ottawa, he held a variety of positions, culminating as the Deputy Director, Maritime Engineering Program Management (Submarines).
In June 2018, Tony joined Babcock after serving 21 years with the Royal Canadian Navy. Taking an executive role in January 2020, he took on the role of Vice President of Engineering & Technology in April 2023 with responsibility for the Engineering, Integrated Logistics Support, ITB and Business Solutions functions within Babcock Canada.
Mark Russell
CD BEng MSc PEng, Principal Naval Architect, BMT
Mark Russell CD BEng MSc PEng is a Principal Naval Architect with BMT Canada. He is a retired Royal Canadian Navy Technical Officer and Professional Engineer with 30+ years of experience in the marine defence environment. He served on exchange with the UK Ministry of Defence supporting their submarine fleet, served in the RCN Fleet Maintenance Facilities on both the East and West coasts and in DGMEPM as a Systems Authority for submarines. After leaving the RCN he joined Babcock Canada as Principal Navy Architect supporting submarine Extended Docking Work Periods for almost 10 years before joining BMT in 2019. He has expertise in submarine design, materiel certification, structural maintenance and modifications, stability, welding procedure development for submarines, project management and the leadership and training of technical teams supporting marine projects. He is an occasional guest lecturer in submarine stability at the University of Victoria and currently lives in Victoria, BC.
David Perry
President & Senior Analyst,
Canadian Global Affairs Institute
Dr. David Perry is the Vice President, Senior Analyst and a Fellow with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. He is the author of multiple publications related to defence budgeting, transformation and procurement, published with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, Conference of Defence Associations Institute, Defence Studies, Comparative Strategy, International Journal, and Journal of Military and Strategic Studies and is a columnist for the Canadian Naval Review. He received his PhD in political science from Carleton University where his dissertation examined the link between defence budgeting and defence procurement. He is an adjunct professor at the Centre for Military and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary and a research fellow of the Centre for the Study of Security and Development at Dalhousie University. He was previously the Senior Security and Defence Analyst of the Conference of Defence Associations Institute and Deputy Director of Dalhousie University’s Centre for Foreign Policy Studies.
Jake Jacobson
Strategic Advisor, Babcock Canada
With the Royal Canadian Navy until 1999, Jake served as a Combat Systems Engineer at sea and on the waterfront, as a Project Engineer specializing in Above Water Warfare, as the Head of Underwater Warfare, and as Project Manager for the $1.8B modernization of Canada’s air defence and command & control destroyers. He also served as naval representative to the United Kingdom and Ireland, and as the Commanding Officer of Canada’s Pacific Naval Dockyard.
Jake subsequently joined Lockheed Martin UK as the Deputy Commercial Director and Program Office
Manager for the £2.7B Royal Navy’s Merlin Anti-Submarine Warfare Helicopter program, returning in 2002 to Lockheed Martin Canada to lead the Maritime Helicopter Program (MHP) capture consortium and serve as the Director of Advanced Programs. In 2004, Jake joined General Dynamics Canada to lead the Canadian industry consortium for the pursuit of the Joint Support Ship, and served there in a series of appointments as Director Naval Programs, Director Air & Naval Advanced Programs and Director Air & Naval Strategy.
Jake joined Canada’s Department of National Defence as a public servant in 2007, serving through to 2012 as the Chief of Staff (Materiel Group), through the initial period of CF rebuild and the principal period of
Canada’s combat operations in Afghanistan. During his five year tenure, he drove a much-needed increase of over 1,500 DND engineering and procurement professionals, led the Government’s rapid procurement of medium-lift helicopters and advanced unmanned air vehicles for the CF in Afghanistan, initiated the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy, worked to improve and streamline procurement including the means to leverage procurement to the broader national economic agenda, and championed and oversaw the rapid growth, from $1.5B to $2.8B per year, in National Procurement sustainment expenditures.
Jake joined Babcock Canada in 2014 to lead the Babcock Defence & Security Sector in Canada, and in 2015 expanded responsibilities to encompass Government Relations, Strategy & Business Development, Marketing & Communications, and Industrial Benefits for the Marine, Land, Aviation and Nuclear Sectors. He retired from executive roles in 2020, and remains a Director on the Board of Babcock Canada.
Matthew Palmer
CEng, Global Naval Business Lead, Submarines and Unmanned Systems, Lloyd’s Register
Matthew Palmer CEng joined LR in 2012 after his previous role in the Royal Navy as a Marine Engineering Officer on Trafalgar Class submarines. Trafalgar Class submarines are nuclear powered, and his role was to operate and supervise reactor operations.
Matthew works on developing goal-based standards, rules and assurance products for LR. Matthew played a key role in the development of LR’s Unmanned Marine Systems Code and the Submarine Assurance Framework, these are goal-based standards for unmanned vessels and naval submarines.
Matthew is the LR lead for the application of these standards as these are areas where prescriptive standards are not always available. More recently, from his previous experience of goal-based standards, Matthew has been leading LR’s development in the assurance of floating nuclear reactors.
Guy Saint-Jacques
former Canadian Ambassador to the Peoples Republic of China
Guy Saint-Jacques provides strategic advice on China and comments in the media and in con-ferences on developments related to China and on international climate negotiations. He sits on the Board of the Foundation of the Montreal Clinical Research Institute and that of the Ca-nadian Ditchley Foundation. He is a Fellow of the China Institute of the University of Alberta, of the Institute of International Studies of Montréal and of the C.D. Howe Institute. In addition, he is the Honorary Chairman of the Canada-China SME Group and of the China Policy Centre in Ottawa.
Previously, Mr. Saint-Jacques worked for Global Affairs Canada for nearly forty years, serving in Kinshasa, Hong Kong, Beijing, Washington, DC and London. He has served as Deputy High Commissioner in London and as Deputy Head of Mission in Washington. In Ottawa, among other things, he has worked in the divisions dealing with Science and Technology and Energy and Environment, in the Associate Deputy Minister’s Office and has been Director of Assign-ments and Director General of Personnel Management. In addition, Mr. Saint-Jacques was Canada’s Chief Negotiator and Climate Change Ambassador from 2010 to 2012 and Ambassa-dor Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in the People’s Republic of China from 2012 to 2016. Mr. Saint-Jacques speaks Mandarin.
Mr. Saint-Jacques became an Officer of the Quebec National Order on June 21, 2023.
Philipp Schön
Head of Product Sales Submarines
Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH
Philipp Schön has a background in Naval Architecture and Economics. He concluded his Diplomas after serving his Navy Service in the German Navy as a Navigator on board several surface vessels. He started his industrial career in Kiel at the project department of the civil shipyard Linedau. Shortly after, Mr. Schön moved back to the naval indus-try taking up a management role in Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft, here getting his first experience in submarine technologies some 15 years ago.
Through a long period in London with the daughter company MarineForce International and a secondment to as the General Manager of the branch in Abu Dhabi, he came back to Germany taking on Business Development responsi-bility inside Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems for all Naval business. Since the merger of Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems and Atlas Elektronic in Bremen, Mr. Schön has been Head of Submarine Sales and also leads the departments re-sponsible for Requirements, Verification and Proposal Management.
Roger Berg
Director of Technology Management, Saab Kockums
During his more than 25 years at Saab, Roger has worked on underwater acoustics, sonar systems, acoustic scattering and signature management. He currently serves as the R&D lead, pioneering the next generation of technological advancements for Saab submarine designs. Roger holds a Master of Science in Engineering Physics and a Ph.D. in Physics in the area of Applied Laser Physics. He has a military background as an officer in the Swedish reserves, is a fellow of the Royal Society of Naval Sciences and the Royal Society of Engineering Sciences and serves as adjunct Professor of Naval Architecture at the Royal Institute of Technology, KTH, Stockholm.
RAdm Rowan Moffitt
AO, RAN (Ret’d)
Rowan had an unusually varied career in the Royal Australian Navy spanning four decades, followed by a commercial career for almost another decade.
His early career was spent mostly at sea, culminating with frigate and destroyer commands before he moved into Defence’s senior leadership group in 1999. He was promoted to Rear Admiral in 2002, serving as the Deputy Chief of Navy (and Comptroller) then as the Fleet Commander during widespread and challenging operations across two thirds of the globe. A role as the Deputy Chief of Joint Operations followed, in which he was responsible for managing operational activities of the Australian Defence Force, including combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and humanitarian and disaster relief operations at home and abroad. He concluded his military career as the inaugural Head of Australia’s Future Submarine Program, from 2009 until 2013.
On retiring from full time naval service, he joined professional services firm Ernst&Young as the partner leading the Oceania Defence Account through a period of major growth. He retired from EY in mid-2019. Rowan now works freelance in strategic advice and counselling, stakeholder engagement, executive leadership development, coaching and mentoring as well as general consulting on matters that pique his interest.
RAdm Luc Cassivi
CMM, CD, RCN (Ret’d)
Luc was born and raised in the Gaspé Peninsula, Québec. His experience in the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets led him to join the Canadian Armed Forces in 1983. He attended CMR St-Jean and upon graduation, underwent naval training and performed various duties ashore and at sea in both the surface and submarine fleets. He completed his service at sea by commanding 3 submarines, the Submarine Sea Training Group, one frigate, and the Submarine Force before assuming senior appointments within the RCN and the CAF. He also had the pleasure to serve in Australia, the United-Kingdom, The Netherlands and the United States of America.
His appointments at the rank of Rear- Admiral were Commander, Military Personnel Generation and Canadian Defence Academy (2017-2020), CAF Senior Liaison Officer to Veteran Affairs Canada (2020-2022), and Director General Culture Change at CPCC (2021-2022).
Luc received a BSc in computer science from CMR St-Jean in 1988, a MBA from the Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland in 2008, attended the Naval War College, Class of 2011, at Newport RI, USA, attended the Capstone program at National Defense University, Washington DC, USA in 2017, and attended the Harvard Kennedy School in 2018. He retired in September 2022.
After a period of rest, Luc became a Senior Advisor with Boston Consulting Group in January 2023. He is the President of L.C. Bespoke Solutions and serves as a director with The True Patriot Love Foundation, The Navy League of Canada and his Condo Corporation.
Sungkyun Jeong
Senior Executive Vice President, Head of Naval Ship International Business, Hanwha Ocean
Vice President Sungkyun Jeong is currently the Head of the International Business Division at Hanwha Ocean Naval Ship Business, a company specializing in the development, design, construction, and support of cutting-edge surface combat ships, submarines, auxiliary vessels, unmanned surface vehicles and underwater vehicles, as well as defense systems. The company also offers technical services, maintenance, and repair support to various customers, including the ROK Navy, ROK Coast Guard, and partner nations' navies.
As the Head of the International Business Division for Naval Ships, vice president Sungkyun Jeong is responsible for various strategic development, market exploration, negotiation, and contract-related tasks to expand Hanwha Ocean's Naval Ship Business in the overseas export market.
In 2023, Jeong joined Hanwha Ocean, bringing with him a distinguished career as a former vice admiral of the ROK Navy. Throughout his illustrious tenure, he has demonstrated expertise in military strategy, naval capabilities and requirements, as well as successful leadership in various projects and initiatives. Notable positions he has held include ROKN Submarine Force Commander, Director for Joint Military Strategy and WMD Center for JCS, and DCNO for Naval Capabilities, Requirements, and Strategy for ROKN Headquarters. Additionally, he co-chaired the ADMM+ Experts' Working Group on Maritime Security.
Jeong's educational background includes a Bachelor's degree in Marine Engineering from the US Naval Academy, a Master's degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Florida in the USA, a Master's degree in National Security & Strategy from the US National Defense University, and successful completion of the Royal British Navy International Senior Leadership Course.
Darcy Byrtus
Strategic Advisor, BMT
Darcy Byrtus is the Strategic Advisor at BMT and has over 35 years’ experience in the International Defence industry in a variety of Operations, Major Crown Project (MCP) and Business Development positions.
Mr. Byrtus was appointed President of BMT in March 2014. He is responsible for the formulation, initiation and implementation of the direction, business strategy and policies of the company.
Prior to joining BMT, Darcy spent 16 years at General Dynamics Canada where he held several positions including the Project Manager for the Hydra Underwater Warfare system for the Royal Swedish Navy, Project Manager Canadian Maritime Helicopter Project and Director of Business Development for Naval Programs.
Prior to working at General Dynamics, Darcy served 22 years in the RCN as a Marine Engineering Officer and Naval Architect. He served in a variety of positions at sea, in the Naval Ship Repair Units and in MCPs including in the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project and as the Ship Systems Manager for the Canadian Patrol Frigate Project.
Darcy is the current Chairman of the Board of the Canadian Marine Industries and Shipbuilding Association.
Darcy holds BSc in Physics & Physical Oceanography from Royal Roads Military College and an MSc in Naval Architecture and an MSc in Mechanical Engineering, both from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Mr. Byrtus also holds a Certificate in International Corporate Direction from the Institute of Directors.
Cdr Corey Gleason
MMM, MSC, CD, RCN (Ret’d)
Hailing from Welland Ontario, Canada, Cdr (retired) Gleason enlisted the Royal Canadian Navy 8 August 1985. He trained as a Naval Signalman in Esquimalt BC and was posted to HMCS PROTECTEUR in Halifax N.S. While in Halifax he served in multiple ships, participated in many NATO exercises and was support staff to Standing Naval Force Atlantic.
In 1991 he was recruited to Maritime Forces Pacific to serve in the Training Squadron. While serving in Esquimalt B.C. he was crew to a series of classes of ships, highlighted by HMCS OTTAWA, where he deployed for OPERATION APOLLO in support of the war against terrorism as ship’s Senior Naval Communicator. Gleason was a Ship’s Team Diver and Boarding Party specialist, making a conscious effort to enhance the capabilities of the ships he served.
Gleason commissioned from the ranks in November 2003. On completion of formal Officer Training in College militaire royal de Saint-Jean & NOTC VENTURE, he served in every class of ship in service returning to HMCS PROTECTEUR as their Navigator and HMCS OTTAWA as their Combat Officer and Executive Officer.
Corey’s first Command was fittingly to HMCS YELLOWKNIFE. He proudly served as roving Ambassador to the City of Yellowknife and the peoples of the North-West Territories, visiting the City of Yellowknife multiple times.
As a naval warfare officer, Corey joined the fight against humanitarian and disaster relief, global terrorism, and the illegal distribution of narcotics in South and North America supporting Joint Interagency Task Force South, throughout their time in service.
Rudely interrupted twice by shore postings inland, Gleason generally remained on the wet list serving in Sea Training as Operations Officer and Executive Officer mentoring and leading newly trained and appointed officers in their new roles.
Deep selected for future Naval Arctic operations, he began his Arctic studies in 2008 where Corey served at sea with the Canadian Coast Guard and NATO Allies gaining important practical experience at sea. He gained academic understanding of ice navigation at the Marine Institute of Memorial University. With these years of Arctic experiences behind him, Corey commanded HMCS HARRY DEWOLF in the Arctic in dead of winter and was the first RCN Captain in more than 67 years to circumnavigate North America via the Northwest Passage and the Panama Canal.
Corey and his spouse France Chalifour of Quebec City, are tremendously proud to be part of naval history, following HMCS LABRADOR’s historic journey in 1954. Corey continued his work and studies in the Arctic domain, as a Commander appointment to Sea Training Patrol Vessel.
Cmdre Jason Armstrong, MSM, CD
Director General Naval Force Development, RCN
As the son of a career soldier, Cmdre J. S. Armstrong grew up in various army and air force bases throughout Canada, but calls Sault Ste-Marie, Ontario his hometown. He joined the Canadian Armed Forces as a Maritime Surface Officer in 1989. Upon completion of Naval Warfare Officer training in 1994, he joined the Pacific Fleet. Since then, he has served onboard HMC Ships on both coasts conducting a number of international deployments including NATO, WESTPLOY, Op AUGMENTATION, and Op ALTAIR. He has had the honour and privilege of commanding three of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships during his command tour and deployed onboard HMCS Toronto as Commanding Officer for Op REASSURANCE in 2014-2015.
Cmdre Armstrong has served in staff positions at Maritime Pacific and Canadian Fleet Atlantic Headquarters. He has served in the National Capital Region in Naval Force Development and as the Chief of Staff for the Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy.
Cmdre Armstrong has served in staff positions at Maritime Pacific and Canadian Fleet Atlantic Headquarters. He has served in the National Capital Region in Naval Force Development and as the Chief of Staff for the Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy.
Terri Pavelic
Editor in Chief, Vanguard
RAdm Casper Donovan
CD, RCN (Ret’d)
Originally from Montreal, Casper Donovan, served in the Canadian Armed Forces for 35 years. His tours of duty have seen him serve on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, ultimately serving as Commanding Officer of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Vancouver. He deployed around the world on Canadian, Coalition and NATO missions, including to Afghanistan. Promoted to Flag rank in 2016 following an assignment to the Privy Council Office in support of the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada, he was charged with playing a lead role in determining what ships and capabilities the Navy needs in the future. He is a classically trained French chef and the Founder of Bowline Insight and Analysis, Inc.
VAdm Darren Hawco
CMM, MSM, CD, RCN (Ret’d)
VAdm(Retd) Darren Hawco completed a 36-year career in the military, deploying on five operational tours and completing a range of at sea postings, including commands of HMCS OTTAWA and the Atlantic Fleet. His follow-on Flag Officer appointments included DG Cyberspace, Chief of Force Development (CFD) and appointment as Canada’s Military Representative to NATO. He has extensive public service, military and allied experience in policy development, strategic planning, and capability standardization and development. In his capacity as CFD, he was the military lead in the development of the Defence policy Strong Secure Engaged. Following his retirement from active service, Darren assumed his current role within Deloitte as an Executive Advisor, focused on strategy and business design, principally to Government of Canada and global Defence, Security and Justice clients.
Dave Hatherall
Senior Partner, CFN Consultants
Mr. Dave Hatherall joined the Government of Canada in 1986 as a procurement officer at the New Shipborne Aircraft Project. Mr. Hatherall led the procurement of the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Project and the Weapons Effects Simulation Project until 2011, when he joined the executive cadre.
As Director, Mr. Hatherall led the Public Services and Procurement Canada team on the successful Halifax Class Modernization Project. Promoted to Senior Director in 2016, he was responsible for the creation of the Marine Sustainment Directorate to support Marine in-service procurement of the Royal Canadian Navy. Mr. Hatherall’s last role in the public service was Director General of the Major Marine Construction Sector with responsibility for major marine construction; and the acquisition and support of new large vessels for Transport Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard.
Mr. Hatherall has worked in the procurement domain for the past 35 years, including negotiating contracts with Israel, Australia, Germany, England, France and the United States. His procurement and project management background has been effective in managing projects for the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and the Royal Canadian Air Force. He has also been instrumental in supporting the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Transport Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police through a number of projects over his career. After retiring from the public service in 2021, Mr. Hatherall joined CFN Consultants where he is now a Senior Partner.
Erik Donaldson, B.A.Sc.
Process Engineer - Team Lead, BluMetric Environmental Inc.
Erik leads BluMetric’s Cleantech Process Engineering section. Erik’s team plays a leading role in the development and servicing of the water treatment equipment manufactured by BluMetric.
On completion of a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Chemical Engineering, Erik joined BluMetric in 2011 as an Engineering Intern. He commenced his career at BluMetric in the consulting section and as he advanced his skills in design, installation, commissioning and support of water and wastewater treatment systems he moved to the cleantech section.
Erik has field experience around the globe that provides BluMetric with the ability to react to and solve any water related challenge.
As a Professional Engineer, Erik leads a growing team of professionals that are committed to BluMetric’s clients and expanding the reach of the company.
Richard Shimooka
Senior Fellow, Macdonald-Laurier Institute
Richard Shimooka is a Senior Fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and a contributing writer on defence issues at theHub.ca. He was a Senior Fellow at the Defence Management Studies Programme at Queen’s University from 2007–2012, and a Research Fellow at the Conference of Defence Associations Institute from 2012-2017. Richard works’ cover a diverse array of topics, including Canadian and American foreign and defence policy, strategic studies and defence procurement. Richard holds a Masters in Strategic Studies from the University of Wales Aberystwyth and a Bachelors with Honours in Political Studies from Queen’s University.