BAE Systems Announced as Gold Sponsors of the SMI Conference 2025

The Society of Maritime Industries is pleased to welcome BAE Systems as Gold sponsor of the Society of Maritime Industries Conference 2025.  

As industry leaders gather tomorrow in Southampton to explore the future of the UK’s naval and maritime security enterprise, we are also delighted to welcome Stephen Appleby, Commercial and Supply Chain Director for Future Business and Technology at BAE Systems Naval Ships, as a speaker on the conference’s final panel of the day. This session will focus on investment and productivity in UK shipyards, a critical topic for the sector’s growth and competitiveness. 

The SMI Conference is a flagship annual event that brings together members, stakeholders and the wider maritime industry to discuss key opportunities and challenges, all with the aim of supporting collaborative innovation. We look forward to welcoming everyone to Southampton tomorrow for another successful edition of the event. 

Tom Chant, Chief Executive of Society of Maritime Industries stated:  

"As one of the UK primes and thus key to any conversation around the development of the UK’s maritime defence and security future, we are delighted to not only have the support of BAE Systems as a gold level sponsor but also to welcome Stephen Appleby to one of our panels. BAE Systems drive for innovation not only within their own enterprise but within the sector overall makes them a fantastic partner to have for this event. We look forward to hearing Stephen’s thoughts on how we improve shipyard productivity within the sector and welcoming several members of the BAE team to the conference tomorrow."

Society of Maritime Industries encourages all attending delegates to participate in the interactive panel sessions via Slido. Join the conversation and have your say. We look forward to welcoming you tomorrow – doors open at 8am for coffee and networking!