Athena Series launched at King's to celebrate exceptional women in strategy

30 October 2024

Athena Series launched at King's to celebrate exceptional women in strategy

Security & Defence PLuS—a collaborative partnership between King’s College London, Arizona State University and the University of New South Wales (UNSW)—teamed up with the Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre (RNSSC) to host the 'Athena Series: Women in Strategy Conference, London'.

Baroness Gisela Stuart Hon Capt RNR gives speaks at a lectern with a Royal Navy banner behind her

Keynote speech from Baroness Gisela Stuart Hon Capt RNR, Civil Service Commissioner, Member of the House of Lords

The conference, held at King’s Strand Campus, brought together leaders and strategy experts from across the armed forces, civil service, academia and policy to engage in critical discussions on gender, leadership and strategic decision-making.

Panellists explored current global challenges, resilience in defence strategy, multilateralism and alliance dynamics, and the importance of diversity in driving strategic success. With similar events planned in Australia and the US in 2025, this inaugural Athena Series event celebrated the significant contributions women make in strategy, security and defence.

Navigating Defence Communication

Baroness Gisela Stuart, opened the day with a keynote speech where she drew upon her professional journey in politics. A key point she made was on the communication challenges of conveying the worsening global security landscape to the public without veering into scaremongering.

You have to help the politicians make the public case for the importance of defence and deterrence.”
Baroness Gisela Stuart Hon Capt RNR, Civil Service Commissioner, Member of the House of Lords

In her fireside chat with Alessio Patalano, Professor of War and Strategy in East Asia from the Department of War Studies, former Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan echoed this sentiment, “…we are failing to educate and understand that what we take for granted is absolutely at risk if the rules-based order disintegrates around us.” The need for a more nuanced national dialogue on security was a central theme throughout the day.

Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan talks to Professor Alessio Patalano

Fireside Chat with Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Former Minister of State for Indo-Pacific, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Professor Alessio Patalano, King’s College London

Multilateralism and global strategic alliances

The conversation around global threats and deterrence was brought to the fore in a panel discussion on Global Reach, Grand Strategy and Alliance Dynamics, where panellists drew on their expertise on Russia, China and the Indo-Pacific, and explored the strengths and limitations of multilateralism.

A panel of four people are sat at a table speaking to an audience

Panel discussion on 'Global Reach, Grand Strategy and Alliance Dynamics'

Workforce resilience and leadership in defence

The UK’s ability to respond to these evolving threats was explored in a panel titled, Leading the Fleet: Resilience, Readiness and Resourcefulness, where moderator Dr Joanne Fallowfield from the Royal Navy asked the panellists whether they think we, as a nation, are resilient and ready.

Workforce resilience, particularly in defence, emerged as a central theme, with Dr Whitney Curry, Head of Health and Wellbeing at the Royal Navy, emphasising that “Health and wellbeing really needs to help set the conditions for our people to thrive and be operationally capable.”

Dr Whitney Curry, Head of Health and Wellbeing, Royal Navy

Gender, leadership and diversity in strategy

The importance of inclusivity in strategic decision-making was a core focus throughout the panels. From wargaming to risk analysis, panellists explored the impact of gender on leadership and decision-making, with many arguing that diverse teams both drive innovation and enhance operational effectiveness.

If you want to maximise your chances of properly understanding the threat, you want as diverse a group of people doing the analysis as possible.”
Suzanne Raine, Visiting Professor, Department of War Studies, King’s College London

This theme was explored in depth in the final panel, Women Shaping Strategy: Then, Now and The Future, which included trailblazers Colonel Lucy Giles, the first female College Commander at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, and Professor Kate Utting, incoming Head of the Defence Studies Department and Dean of Academic Studies at the JSCSC, Shrivenham.

A panel of four people are sat at a table in front of an audience.

Panel discussion on 'Women Shaping Strategy: Then, Now, and The Future'

Inspiring career paths

Closing off the day, there was a strong sentiment about the need to inspire and uplift the next generation of strategists and women in security and defence. Reflecting on their own careers, panellists emphasised the importance of having senior female role models and mentors who can guide younger professionals.

The conference showcased the remarkable range of female talent, expertise and leadership within the community of practice. The Athena Series will continue this vital conversation, with future events scheduled in Canberra, Australia and Phoenix in the US in 2025.

To watch the full conference recording please follow this link.