Robin Richardson brings a lifelong connection to defence shaped by her grandfather’s WWII service and 25 years as a military spouse. After completing her MBA, she built a global career in technology and consulting with PwC Consulting, IBM, and Microsoft, specializing in strategy, transformation, and innovation for defence organisations.
At Calian, Robin helps lead corporate strategy, defence capability development and major transformation initiatives. She also oversees Marketing and Corporate Communications, supports government and stakeholder engagement, and strengthens Calian’s profile as a Canadian-headquartered defence company with global reach.
1. How did you start out in this industry and how has it brought you to where you are today?
I grew up hearing stories of my grandfather, a WWII pilot who died just weeks after the war ended. Those stories and his legacy shaped my early connection to service and sacrifice. I later married into the military and have spent 25 years supporting my husband’s career, which gave me an intimate understanding of defence culture, community and operational demand.
After completing my MBA, I built a career in global technology and consulting at PwC Consulting, IBM and Microsoft, focusing on value creation, strategy, transformation, messaging and innovation in support of defence organisations in Canada and abroad. Through this work, I gained firsthand experience with how large, complex organisations evolve during periods of rapid change. When I joined Calian, it felt like the moment where my personal history, professional background and commitment to Canadian sovereignty fully aligned. I found a role where I could help strengthen a truly Canadian defence company and advance capabilities that directly support military readiness and national security.
2. What is your role at your organization today?
Today, I help lead corporate strategy, defence capability development and major strategic program transformations at Calian. I also lead Marketing and Corporate Communications, ensuring our story, strategy and value are understood across the industries we serve. My role includes supporting government relations, stakeholder engagement and strengthening our presence within Canada’s defence ecosystem. In addition, I drive defence and community outreach to elevate Calian’s profile as one of the few Canadian-headquartered defence companies with global reach.
3. What was your most challenging moment?
My most challenging moment came while navigating high-speed organizational transformation during a period of rapid growth, which coincided with a generational moment for our key customers, including the Canadian Armed Forces and NATO. We were integrating new acquisitions and diverse teams while working to maintain alignment, clarity and a unified direction. Managing communications through complex change was critical to keeping employees and customers informed, engaged and confident in our path. At the same time, I had to balance urgency, accuracy and consistency across a geographically dispersed workforce. Through all of this, we worked to evolve and align our brand, values and culture without losing sight of our core purpose: serving those who serve.
4. What was your “a-ha” moment or epiphany?
My “a-ha” moment was recognizing the responsibility Calian holds—as one of the few truly Canadian defence companies—to help grow not just our own organization, but the national defence industry as a whole. More than 90 per cent of Canada’s defence industrial base consists of SMEs, and their success is essential to national resilience, sovereignty and emerging sovereign capabilities. We saw a clear opportunity for Calian to strengthen the broader ecosystem by supporting innovators, founders and emerging Canadian technologies. This realization directly inspired the creation of Calian VENTURES to mentor, invest in and accelerate Canadian defence innovators. The moment crystallized during a conversation with one of our early partners Mike Nelson of TACTIQL, who said that Calian is one of the few companies that understands the need to develop the whole industry, not just one company. That feedback affirmed our vision for Calian VENTURES: scaling Canadian capability by lifting up the innovators shaping the future of defence.
5. What is the one thing that has you most fired up today?
What drives me most today—both as a military spouse and as a mom of three boys who see a future in uniform—is seeing Canada come together, across citizens, business and government, to stand behind those who serve. It is our national responsibility to ensure they have the equipment, systems, tools and supports they need to protect our freedoms and those of our allies. I’m energized by the growing momentum behind strengthening sovereign capability and resilience, and by the recognition of the remarkable innovation within Canadian SMEs across C4ISR, space solutions and autonomous systems. Most of all, I’m excited by the opportunity for Calian to help shape the future of Canada’s defence and security landscape.
6. How is your organization changing the game within your industry sector?
Calian is demonstrating that a Canadian-headquartered company can lead in defence and space by delivering integrated capabilities across cyber, training, space systems, communications and health readiness. We approach complex challenges in a cohesive, multi-domain way that reflects how modern operations truly function. At the same time, we are scaling Canadian expertise into global markets while reinforcing domestic sovereignty and strengthening Canada’s position as a trusted defence and security partner.
7. How has innovation become ingrained in your organization’s culture, and how is it being optimized?
Innovation at Calian is deeply embedded through cross-functional collaboration among our industry and solutions teams. We’ve established innovation councils and centres of excellence that help accelerate ideas from concept to delivery. Our culture encourages curiosity, experimentation and rapid learning, and we ensure that insights from real mission environments of our customers feed directly into solution development, so our innovations stay grounded in operational reality.
8. What is the best advice you received?
The best advice I’ve received is to use my voice with intention, confidence and authenticity. I learned that clarity and courage can change the trajectory of a project—or a career—and that speaking up, even when it feels easier to step back, is essential. Every voice has value and sharing it matters.
9. What is a habit that contributes to your success?
A habit that has consistently contributed to my success is listening deeply to understand context and intent before acting. I stay grounded in purpose—the mission and the people we serve—and I prioritize alignment and clear communication in complex situations to ensure teams move forward with confidence and unity.
10. What is your parting piece of advice?
My parting advice is to stay connected to the mission behind your work. Defence is meaningful work, and purpose drives performance. Champion Canadian sovereignty and capability wherever you can—it strengthens all of us and reinforces the resilience of our national defence ecosystem, economy and overall sovereignty.