Stehr Consulting Welcomes Commodore (Retd) Steve Prest as Strategic Advisor

Stehr Consulting has announced the appointment of Steve Prest as a strategic advisor following a successful period of supporting the company as an associate. The appointment marks an important step in the evolution of the leadership team and reinforces Stehr Consulting’s commitment to serving the defence sector at a time of critical transformation.

Steve brings a wealth of experience and credibility to the role. A former Royal Navy Commodore, he has held senior leadership positions across the Defence Acquisition landscape. His operational career saw deployments across the Globe, including Afghanistan, and professional commands in HMS Westminster and HMS Queen Elizabeth, where he served as Commander Weapon Engineer during the ship’s emergence from build.

As the inaugural Fleet Robotics Officer, Steve led the Royal Navy’s adoption of autonomous and robotic systems, laying the groundwork for future maritime capability. He later served as Programme Director for the Type 31 Frigate Programme and as Director Navy Acquisition, overseeing a portfolio of major capability programmes valued at over £20 billion.

Now pursuing a portfolio career as an independent consultant, advisor, lecturer, and non-executive director, Prest has defined his mission as “to help brilliant people do amazing things.” This aligns with Stehr Consulting’s ethos and ambition. His expertise in uncrewed systems and autonomy complements the company’s focus on disruptive technologies and strategic advisory work in defence, strengthening its ability to meet evolving customer needs and reinforcing its commitment to innovation and assurance in critical domains.

Steve Prest commented:

“I’m delighted to join Stehr Consulting as a Strategic Advisor. There is a clear alignment of culture and expertise – driving innovation and creating the conditions for technology to realise its potential in defence, maritime and other domains.”

Ashley Stehr, Director and Principal Consultant at Stehr Consulting, commented:

“From our earliest conversations, it was clear that Steve’s vision and values were deeply aligned with ours. He’s been part of the DNA of Stehr Consulting, and his formal appointment is a natural and exciting progression. His strategic insight, leadership experience, and deep understanding of defence transformation and the market will be invaluable as we expand our impact across the sector.”

This appointment reflects Stehr Consulting’s continued investment in leadership excellence and its dedication to supporting defence innovation, autonomy, and assurance at a time when these capabilities are more vital than ever.