Presented By
Director General Major Projects Delivery (Sea), Department of National Defence
Director General Maritime Equipment Programme Management, Department of National Defence
Director Marine Engineering, Integrated Technical Services, Canadian Coast Guard
Vice President of Growth, Thales Canada
Director Ships Operations and Capability Integration - UK Defence Equipment and Support Chief Naval Engineer Officer – Royal Navy
Deputy Director, Program Management Support Office, Department of National Defence
Vice President, Defence & Aftermarket Business Unit, Gastops
Director General, Marine Services and Small Vessels, Defence and Marine Procurement, Public Service and Procurement Canada
Editor-in-Chief, Vanguard
Director Major Surface Combatants, Directorate General Maritime Equipment Program Management, Canadian Armed Forces
Director, Maritime Equipment Program Management
(Non-Combatants), DMEPM(NC), Department
of National Defence
Director, Polar Research and Government Business Development American Bureau of Shipping
Senior Director, Marine Sustainment Directorate
Public Services and Procurement Canada
Principal, NorthStar Public Affairs
Deputy Project Manager, River Class Destroyer Project, Department of National Defence
Director of Surface Vessel Programs, Seaspan
Deputy Project Manager Transition, River Class Destroyer Project
Director, Business Development (Naval Programs) Thales Canada
Copyright ©2025 Vanguard Canada Media
Robert Gray
Director General Major Projects Delivery (Sea),
Department of National Defence
Throughout his 33 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, Rob’s operational postings included opportunities on the east and west coasts of Canada and several postings to engineering training establishments. His 15 years in Ottawa as a Naval Officer included postings to the Project Management Office for the Joint Support Ship, two years within the Halifax Class Modernization Project, lead for the DND’s National Shipbuilding Project Office, and the position of Director Materiel Group Strategic Plans. He retired in 2022 and is working within the Major Project Delivery (Sea) Division of ADM(Mat). Rob is a graduate of the Royal Roads Military College, the Royal Military College of Canada, and the Canadian Forces College.
Commodore Keith Coffen
Director General Maritime Equipment Programme Management, Department of National Defence
A native Newfoundlander, former Air Cadet and former soldier of the Communications reserve, Commodore Keith Coffen was commissioned as an officer of the Canadian Armed Forces in 1995. Trained as a Naval Combat Systems Engineer, he served at sea in Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships Regina and Huron as well as in Her Majesty’s Canadian Submarines Onondaga and Windsor.
Over the course of his career, Commodore Coffen has been primarily focused on the development, delivery and sustainment of equipment solutions that protect the lives of Canadian Armed Forces personnel and enable them to succeed across the full spectrum of lawful military operations worldwide. He has served nationally and internationally in fleet support and project delivery roles including weapon, sensor and platform acquisition and modernization projects.
Commodore Coffen holds degrees in Engineering, Business, and Defence Studies and is a graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada and the US Naval Postgraduate School. He is also a graduate of the Canadian Forces College, having completed both the Joint Command and Staff Programme and the National Security Programme there. He is certified as a DND Level III project manager, for the management of the largest and most complex projects in the Defence portfolio.
Commodore Coffen was appointed as Director General Maritime Equipment Programme Management and Chief Engineer of the Royal Canadian Navy in July 2022.
Adam Watt
Director Marine Engineering, Integrated Technical Services, Canadian Coast Guard
Adam Watt is the Canadian Coast Guard’s Director of Marine Engineering. In this role, he is the technical authority for the Canadian Coast Guard Fleet and directs fleet lifecycle management from delivery to operations to disposal. He came to the Canadian Coast Guard in November 2022 from the Department of National Defence, where he held a number of key roles in marine project Integrated Logistics Support, Class program coordination, and Defence supply chain management. Adam holds a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master's Degree in Business Administration.
Ian Krepps
Vice President of Growth, Thales Canada
Ian Krepps is the Vice President of Growth at Thales Canada Defence and Security. He has been with Thales for the last 14 years in various roles supporting DND programs. In addition, Ian served in the Canadian Army as a Signals Officer, and as such is well informed to discuss submarines. He shares a professional passion to foster the development and deployment of innovative solutions to address pressing operational challenges, irrespective of the domain or market.
Brennan West
Vice President, Defence & Aftermarket Business Unit, Gastops
Brennan West is the Vice President of the Defence & Aftermarket Business Unit at Gastops Ltd. As a trusted member of Gastops’ senior leadership team, Brennan has been responsible for developing and leading the Defence growth strategy that has resulted in material global business growth for the company, while increasing the depth and breadth of Gastops’ business and operations in Atlantic Canada. He oversees the development and delivery of engineering services, in-service support, and MRO, supporting the Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Coast Guard, and United States Coast Guard. Brennan is a team-first leader and is passionate about strategy, community involvement and the growth of both individuals and the collective team. He holds a bachelor’s degree in of engineering from Dalhousie University and is registered as a professional engineer in Nova Scotia.
Karen Watson
Deputy Director, Program Management Support Office, Department of National Defence
Karen Watson has over 25 years’ engineering and project management experience in both the public and private sector. She is currently the Continuous Capability Sustainment (CCS) Program Manager and Deputy Director of the Project Management Support Office (DPMSO) within ADM(Mat). Prior to joining DPMSO, Karen was the in-service support manager for the Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ship and Joint Support Ship program, where she successfully transitioned Canada’s newest and first-of-its-kind class ship from acquisition to in-service. Karen is a licensed professional engineer and project management professional and has a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Civil Engineering from Queen’s University. She also has a Master of Business in Complex Project Leadership from the University of Ottawa.
Rear-Admiral Steve McCarthy
Director Ships Operations and Capability Integration - UK Defence Equipment and Support Chief Naval Engineer Officer – Royal Navy
Rear-Admiral Steve McCarthy took up his current role in March 2023. He is responsible for the Portfolio Management of through life availability and capability integration of Royal Navy Ships, Royal Fleet Auxiliary Ships and UK Ministry of Defence Boats. Rear-Admiral McCarthy joined the Royal Navy in 1990 and graduated as a Marine Engineer Officer in 1994. He read for a Master of Science degree in Marine Engineering at University College London in 1998, is a Chartered Marine Engineer and a Fellow of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology. He is also a graduate of the UK Defence Academy Advanced Command and Staff Course, a Member of the Association of Project Management and a Member of the Royal College of Defence Studies.
Nassima Zobir Bouguerba
Director General, Marine Services and Small Vessels,
Defence and Marine Procurement, Public Service and Procurement Canada
Nassima Zobir Bouguerba has over 18 years of experience leading organizations' transformation and communication strategy development and implementation within the Government of Canada. In 2020, she joined the Department of Justice, where she established a Change Management and Business Transformation Office. Previously, Nassima worked at Public Service and Procurement Canada (PSPC) at the Pay Administration Branch for the Phoenix Pay System and was directly accountable for the success of three key portfolios serving over 3,000 employees across Canada. As Director General of Marine Services and Small Vessels in the Defence and Marine Procurement Branch – Public Services and Procurement Canada, she spearheads and oversees the provision of marine services to bolster the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS). She holds a master’s degree in education and is a member of the International Coaching Federation.
Captain(N) Johnathan Plows
Director Major Surface Combatants, Directorate General Maritime Equipment Program Management, Canadian Armed Forces
Captain(N) Johnathan Plows joined the navy as a Naval Combat Systems Engineering officer in 2000 and obtained a Bachelor’s of Computer Engineering from the Royal Military College. He has deployed operationally with HMCSs Athabaskan, Toronto, and Charlottetown, as well as served in a number of Headquarters roles, including as a technical subject matter expert for the River Class Destroyer’s Design Request for Proposal, as Chief of Staff for the Joint Support Ship Project, and Chief of Staff to the Director General of all three major shipbuilding projects. He is currently the lead engineer and Class Program Manager for the Royal Canadian Navy’s twelve Halifax-class frigates.
Frédéric Pierre
Director, Maritime Equipment Program Management (Non-Combatants), DMEPM(NC), Department of National Defence
Frédéric Pierre joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1988 to undertake a career as a Naval Engineer. Frédéric commanded the Naval Engineering Test Establishment and held several director positions in the National Defence Headquarters. After 35 years of service in the CAF, he transferred to the Public Service. He is currently the Director, Maritime Equipment Program Management (Non-Combatants), and leads the implementation of the sustainment program for the Kingston, Orca, Harry DeWolf and Protecteur classes, and for the Auxiliary Vessels. He is also responsible for the shipbuilding program under Pillar II of the National Shipbuilding Strategy. Frédéric served in His Majesty’s Canadian Ships Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, and Regina.
James Bond
Director, Polar Research and Government Business Development American Bureau of Shipping
Based in Ottawa, Canada, James Bond is Director for Business with the American Bureau of Shipping. James has worked in the marine industries for 30+ years, primarily in the fields of design and analysis and Rules development and Regulatory oversight. James provides insights and oversight into the in-service support efforts that ABS provides for both the RCN and the CCG including service-life evaluations, structural dashboards and the increasing use of data as the marine industry shifts to condition-based class. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Ontario and a Fellow of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers.
Marc Baril
Senior Director, Marine Sustainment Directorate
Public Services and Procurement Canada
Marc Baril leads the contracting efforts for the in-service support of the Royal Canadian Navy fleet. His portfolio includes Minor Warships and Auxiliary Vessels, Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessels, Joint Supply Ships, Canadian Surface Combatants, Halifax-class frigates, and Victoria-class submarines. Before joining the federal government, Marc spent 15 years as a strategic management consultant, specializing in the development and implementation of solutions for complex and sensitive domestic and international challenges. His work spanned public health, food safety, logistics, and emergency management. Prior to his consulting career, he served 21 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.
Greg MacNeil
Principal, NorthStar Public Affairs
Greg MacNeil is a skilled government relations professional with extensive expertise spanning both the federal and provincial levels of government. With over twenty years working in Canadian politics, his career is highlighted by significant contributions to numerous federal and provincial Liberal Party campaigns.
Formerly at the helm of Government Relations for Irving Shipbuilding, Greg played a pivotal role in advancing Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy – a ground-breaking initiative that transformed the landscape of defence procurement within the nation.
Jay Harwood
Deputy Project Manager, River Class Destroyer Project, Department of National Defence
Jay Harwood joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1993 and graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada (RMCC) in 1997 with a Mechanical Engineering degree. After 28 years of service as a Naval Engineer, he retired in 2021, at the rank of Captain (Navy), and joined the Public Service in his current role as Deputy Project Manager (Corporate Liaison) for the River-Class Destroyer Project.
During his Naval career Jay held roles as Deputy Project Manager for the Joint Support Ship and River-Class Destroyer projects, DND’s Maritime Team Lead during the introduction of the Sustainment Initiative and various coastal positions, both at sea and in the RCN’s two Fleet Maintenance Facilities.
David St. Cyr
Director of Surface Vessel Programs, Seaspan
David St. Cyr is the Director of Surface Vessel Programs at Seaspan Victoria Shipyard, and retired after 25 years as a Naval Combat Systems Engineer in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).
Over a career spanning 39 years between the RCN, the Public Service and marine industry, David has moved from the engine room to Naval Combat Engineering to managing and leading various RCN projects and programs.
While in uniform and as a member of the Public Service of Canada, David led and managed various Information Technology and Satellite Communication projects and programs and was the Technical Authority for MWAV. In industry, he was the Assistant Program Manager for MWAV and then joined Seaspan in 2019 as the Deputy Director, Submarine Program and was promoted to the Director, Submarine Program in 2022 and assumed his current post in 2024.
Captain(N) Nicholas Manley
Deputy Project Manager Transition,
River Class Destroyer Project
Captain(N) Nicholas Manley is a Naval Engineering Officer and is currently posted to Ottawa, Ontario as the Deputy Project Manger (Transition) for the River-Class Destroyer Project. With a background in Naval Combat Systems Engineering and 28 years of service in the Canadian Armed Forces, Captain(N) Manley has completed operational and shore support postings in both Halifax and Esquimalt and is on his third tour in the National Capital Region, having worked previously in Director General Maritime Equipment Project Management as a Project Manager and Sub-Section Head, as well as in the Joint Support Ship project.
Richard Gravel
Director,
Business Development (Naval Programs) Thales Canada
Richard (Rich) Gravel joined Thales in 2018 as the first Halifax based employee in the AJISS program as Coastal Operations Manager. In 2022 Rich joined Ontario Shipyards as Vice President of Government Programs. Rich returned to Thales in 2023 to assist with the MWAV IV program. Prior to this, Rich was a senior naval officer as a Maritime Engineer, having completed a 35-year career in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN); he retired at navy Captain rank in 2014.
Rich’s naval experiences include Naval Attaché to the USA in Washington, DC, Commanding Officer of Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Scott in the RCN Dockyard in Halifax, Deputy Project Manager for the HALIFAX Class Modernization Project, and an exchange with the Royal Navy in the UK. Rich has a Bachelor of Computer Engineering, and a Master of Defence Studies, from the Royal Military College of Canada and the Canadian Defence Academy.