The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to announce a new Innovation Focus Area (IFA) for Defence, which will provide funding to innovators for even the most ‘light bulb’ of moments in revolutionary radar thinking.

On behalf of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), we seek to find and fund new and novel concepts or technologies that have the potential to transform the UK’s radar sensing capabilities on land, at sea and in the air, whilst meeting the needs of a modern complex battlespace in the next 10-15 years.

The Armed Forces rely on radar capabilities to provide situational awareness and intelligence on a daily basis. Any concept or technology considered through this funding route must enhance the MOD’s future vision for a resilient and robust radar system that is flexible, multi-function, networked and cognitive.

The ‘Open’ competition call exists to encourage anyone with a good idea that has potential to solve defence and/or security challenges to apply for funding at any time. Though we remain ‘open’ to all ideas, we hope that the new IFA will encourage those with emerging ideas in radar innovation to talk to us and submit a proposal for funding.

Find out more information on the latest Innovation Focus Area and to how to apply for funding.

Lady Rachael Robathan

Following a 20 year career in emerging markets investment management, Rachael Robathan has been a Councillor for Westminster City Council since 2010. Cabinet responsibilities have included adult social care, public health, housing and finance. Rachael has been a board member of the National Lottery Community Fund since June 2015 and is a member of the remuneration committee as well as the main board. She is also a director of Westminster Almshouses Foundation, a sheltered housing charity, as well as a governor of Francis Holland School and a member of the Metrobank Advisory Board.

Natalie Campbell

Natalie Campbell is an award-­winning businesswoman and HarperCollins author. She won the ‘Community Spirit’ award at the ‘Women of the Future Awards’ in 2016, an Evening Standard Entrepreneurial Spirit Award in 2017 and was recognised in the Management Today, 35 Women Under 35 and City AM Power 100 Women lists. In 2011 she co-founded A Very Good Company, a global social innovation agency that worked with brands like Virgin Media, Marks and Spencer and Channel 4 to drive social change. Natalie is a Civil Service Commissioner and board member of the London LEAP, the Mayor’s London Economic Strategy Board and the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation.

The roles are remunerated at £7,848 per annum. These appointments have been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments . The process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The Government’s Governance Code requires that any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years is declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation or candidature for election. Rachael has declared that she has served as a local councillor for the Conservative Party at Westminster City Council since 2010. Natalie Campbell has made no such declarations.

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Chris Grant

Chris’s background is in group dynamics and organisation development. In 2001, he co-founded the consultancy 14A, where his assignments have ranged from chairing the Board of the UK Chip & PIN Programme to designing and delivering interventions for the BBC; Renault UK; Companies House and many others. He has moderated and delivered keynotes at conferences ranging from the NHS Medical Directors’ Conference to the World Cities Forum and European Retail Real Estate Conference. From February 2014 to September 2018, Chris was CEO of Sported, the Olympic and Paralympic legacy charity, serving a UK-wide membership of 3000+ grassroots groups using sport and activity to deliver social outcomes and improve the lives of young people.

Since 2016, Chris has chaired the judging of the BT Sport Industry Awards. He is an Independent Member of the Sport England Board, and has also worked extensively within the High Performance sports system, not least as a lead facilitator on UK Sport’s Elite Coach Programme. As a volunteer, he was Deputy Chair of International Inspiration, London 2012’s ground-breaking international development programme, and served as a member of the Commission on the Future of Women’s Sport; Comic Relief’s UK Grants Committee and the Board of the Youth Sport Trust.

Andy Long

Andy is chief executive of Pentland Brands, a privately owned UK-based business with a portfolio of sports and lifestyle brands including Speedo, Berghaus and Canterbury. In this role his business perspective encompasses sport globally from occasional activity through to elite performance, and across all age groups. Initially trained as a management accountant, Andy’s whole career has been in consumer goods, living and working across different regions of England as well as briefly overseas. After 25 years playing and volunteering in grassroots rugby, he is now most active in the gym and as a parent volunteer, occasionally indulging his competitive instincts by trying to beat his own personal best at the local park run. Andy joined the Sport England Board on 9 September 2016.

Ian Cumming

Ian Cumming is Chief Executive of Health Education England, an Executive Arm’s Length Body of the Department of Health and Social Care, and the Education and Training arm of the NHS. He is also an Honorary Professor in the Medical School at Lancaster University. Ian holds an MSc in Sports Medicine, is a volunteer level 3 Swimming Coach, and chairs Swim England’s Swimming and Health Commission.

Karen Pickering

During a 20 year international swimming career Karen won 35 major championship medals and 38 National titles. She was 4 times World champion, broke 2 World Records and competed at 4 consecutive Olympic Games.

Since her retirement from competitive swimming in 2005 Karen has become a popular motivational and after dinner speaker and commentates for BBC 5 Live on swimming and diving. She became a mum to twin girls in 2014.

Having run her KP Swim Schools at 20 venues across England from 2005-2016 Karen has recently taken on the role as Swimming Development Officer and Swim School Manager at Ardingly College.

She is passionate about all sport and was Chair of the British Athletes Commission for 10 years as well previously sitting on the executive boards of the English Institute of Sport and the BOA-Athlete Commission.

These roles are remunerated at per £218 per day. These appointments have been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments . The process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The Government’s Governance Code requires that any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years is declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation or candidature for election. Chris Grant, Andy Long, Ian Cumming and Karen Pickering have made no such declarations.

Gary Kelvin Link (41), from Telford, received an 11-year disqualification order from District Judge Keyser Telford County Court on 11 April 2019 after he was found to be acting as a company director despite already being disqualified.

The court heard that CGL Contracting Limited, incorporated in August 2014, had traded nationwide as a double glazing contractor. The registered director was Christopher David Jordan.

Just over a year later, however, cash flow and contractual issues caused the company to enter liquidation in December 2015.

The liquidation triggered an Insolvency Service investigation, which uncovered that Gary Link had been acting as a director despite not being appointed as one, and while he was disqualified from doing so.

Investigators established that Gary Link had previously been a director of Glass Link Manufacturing Limited and Glass Link Architectural Limited. Both companies entered liquidation in March 2005, and Gary Link was banned for eight years from April 2008 as a result of causing the company to maintain inaccurate, misleading and/or inadequate records.

The court also heard that both Gary Link and Christopher Jordan caused CGL Contracting to trade to the detriment of tax authorities when they failed to file any tax returns.

Gary Link is disqualified from directly or indirectly becoming involved, without the permission of the court, in the promotion, formation or management of a company.

Christopher Jordan is also banned from running companies after he previously agreed to a three-and-a-half-year disqualification undertaking, effective from June 2017.

Jane Knight, Deputy Head of Insolvent Investigations, said:

This 11-year disqualification serves as warning to other disqualified directors tempted to flout their bans that we will take action in order to put a stop to their unscrupulous behaviour.

Directors

Gary Kelvin Link is of Telford and his date of birth is January 1978.

The order was pronounced by District Judge Keyser in the Telford County Court. Paul Joseph of No 5 Chambers appeared for the Insolvency Service and no one appeared for or on behalf of the defendant.

Christopher David Jordan is of Bridgnorth and his date of birth is August 2014.

Companies

CGL Contracting Limited (Company Reg no. 09180654).

Glass Link Manufacturing Limited (Company no. 04417245) entered liquidation on 9 March 2005.

Glass Link Architectural Limited (Company no. 04698255) entered liquidation on 9 March 2005.

About disqualifications

A disqualification order has the effect that without specific permission of a court, a person with a disqualification cannot:  * act as a director of a company * take part, directly or indirectly, in the promotion, formation or management of a company or limited liability partnership * be a receiver of a company’s property.

Persons subject to a disqualification order are bound by a range of other restrictions (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/corporate-insolvency-effect-of-a-disqualification-order).

Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct, is available.

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on: