A fireside chat with our two guest speakers where our moderators find out why they chose their career paths, what they have done during their "Sea-Time".  Is it fun to be a manager of teams?  What is like to work under extreme stress?  What are the positives?  Why is engineering fun?  Why not be bankers and earn loads of cash?

Bring your own questions to pose to our speakers not just about being in the Navy but also about management of people, meeting deadlines, managing costs, dealing with difficult people in stressful situations........



Lieutenant Commander Nelson McMillan is the Royal Navy’s Maritime Domain Awareness International Liaison Officer (MDA - ILO) based in Singapore and the Assistant Defence Adviser to the British High Commissioner. Prior to that he served as a Warfare Officer for 16 years in a variety of frontline operational roles at sea, including Commanding Officer and Principal Warfare Officer. Nelson is a Harvard Business School alumnus who spent four years outside of the navy in the private sector.

Aside from work Nelson has a keen interest in Touch rugby and plays for Todaks - a local Singaporean team. He was previously capped for England Touch Men’s Senior Squad.

Nelson’s other interests include International Relations (IR), having studied for an MA in IR with King’s College London. In addition, he is an advocate of digital wellbeing and acts in this capacity in his spare time as a Board member of a charity that champions the safe and healthy integration of digital technology into society.

Neil McKenty is an IMechE Incorporated Engineer with nearly 20 years of experience on land and at sea. Having started as an apprentice, he gained experience ‘on the tools’ before advancing to management roles and those overseeing project delivery. Having managed teams in challenging environments throughout the world, Neil recognises the importance of keeping engineers motivated in a profession which is not always the most glamorous.

He believes that creating an environment where individuals can develop their own skillset, whilst being given the opportunity to demonstrate their ability and make decisions, is key to this.   Currently the Wharf Master at Sembawang Naval Installation, Neil facilitates Maintenance Periods and Short Notice Emergency Defect Repairs for the Military and Auxiliary vessels of various nations, ensuring compliance with industry standards and Safe Systems of Work.   In his spare time, Neil’s passion is food. He loves to cook, but enjoys eating even more, particularly in the Hawker Centres and Coffee Shops that Singapore has to offer. He also enjoys practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, a pursuit which he is attempting to improve at with varying results. This, along with the current fortunes of his football team, Chelsea FC, serve to frustrate him in equal measures!

Come and listen to these two fascinating Naval Officers tell us about their careers to date and bring your questions to ask too.

To attend, please register HERE