SIMON HENLEY
MBE BSc CEng FRAeS FAPM
Programme Director, Rolls-Royce Defence Aerospace

Simon Henley is Programme Director (New Product Introduction) for Rolls-Royce Defence Aerospace.

He is responsible for the development, testing and demonstration of a wide range of new engine products in Rolls-Royce’s Bristol facility and is head of the project management function in Rolls-Royce Defence Aerospace.

Prior to joining Rolls-Royce in July 2008 he had a 32-year career in the Royal Navy as an Aircraft Engineer Officer, retiring in the rank of Rear Admiral. During his career he saw frontline service with a number of helicopter and fixed wing aircraft types, and enjoyed a progression of project management responsibilities on ship and aircraft platform and equipment programmes, culminating in 4 years as the Project Director for the UK programme to introduce the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter into Royal Navy and Royal Air Force service.

His last position was as Technical Director of both the Defence Procurement Agency and the Defence Logistics Organisation. He spent a year in the consultancy world between the MoD and Rolls-Royce, advising on Project Management aspects of a widely varying project and programme portfolio for a number of major clients. He was voted amongst the top 10 people in Project Management by the Association of Project Management in 2007, and is Chair of the International Centre for Complex Project Management.