Mike Knott CBE

Mike joined BAE Systems as the Maritime capability Advisor in March 2023 where, as an interlocutor between BAES and their key stakeholders, he is responsible for providing informed future maritime capability advice, as well representing the BAES Land & Maritime Sector externally.  Following a full career with the Royal Navy, Mike most recently spent 2 years as a Head of Future Business Development for the maritime technical consultancy BMT for Defence in UK & Europe.  Here Mike led the company’s UK based strategic future business development and BMT’s Global Maritime Autonomy campaign.   

A Royal Navy Navigator and Principal Warfare Officer by background, Mike spent many years at sea on operations in a total of 14 warships including Command of the Northern Ireland Patrol Vessel HMS SPEY and the Anti-submarine Frigate HMS PORTLAND.   In 2012 he then moved ashore to complete a variety of appointments in the field of Finance and Military Capability, and Acquisition, as well as a secondment with McKinsey & Co.  As Captain Navy Plans in the MOD during the 2015 Defence Review he played a key role as the military capability advisor in the 2016/17 National Shipbuilding Strategy.  His achievements were recognised in the 2018 Queens Birthday honours list with his appointment as a Commander of the British Empire.

From 2019 to 2021 Mike was Head of Future Capability Development for the Royal Navy where he led the department responsible for designing the future Fleet, developing the capabilities therein and accelerating maritime technology and innovation.  He was Senior Responsible Owner for a number of developmental projects including the UK/French autonomous Mine Hunting Capability; the autonomy and lethality accelerator programme NavyX; and the Future Tactical Uncrewed Air System.    

Mike is a graduate of the Oxford Business School Major Projects Leadership Academy, the Defence Strategic Leadership Programme, has an MA in Defence Studies from Kings College London, is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and a committee member of the Royal Institute of Navigation.