David Stringer-Lamarre, MD of Fortis Consulting London, within his role as Chairman of IoD London Region, was pleased to be the event moderator for this IoD City of London event in partnership with BT.

There was a discussion, with respect to talent of how to maximise the military and business connection. In the current economic environment where talent is becoming scarcer, some 16,000 people leave the services annually, and there are 35,000 Reservists employed in companies in the UK.

The Military Covenant implies a moral responsibility for society to offer respect and opportunity to ex-military personnel. In practice, companies see veterans as high performers in select areas, but with broader skillsets including team-working, motivation and communication, people who work well under pressure.

Deloitte sees this pool of talent as underrated, and employers who go out of their way to take on veterans rarely hesitate to recommend them to others, despite recognising transitioning challenges.

Speakers:

• General Sir Nick Parker, Salute my job
• Natalie Haynes, Defence Relationship Management
• Sarah Griffiths, Santander
• Mark Hughes, BT Security