Preserving capacity, General Tom Lawson, Chief of the Defence Staff, Keys to Canadian SAR
Issue link: http://vanguardcanada.uberflip.com/i/1542258
26 DECEMBER 2025/JANUARY 2026 www.vanguardcanada.com G A M E C H A N G E R See the full interview online Q How did you start out in this industry and how has it brought you to where you are today? I grew up hearing stories of my grandfa- ther, a WWII pilot who died just weeks after the war ended. Those stories and his legacy shaped my early connection to ser- vice and sacrifice. I later married into the military and have spent 25 years support- ing my husband's career, which gave me an intimate understanding of defence cul- ture, community and operational demand. After completing my MBA, I built a ca- reer in global technology and consulting at PwC Consulting, IBM and Micro- soft, focusing on value creation, strategy, transformation, messaging and innova- tion in support of defence organizations in Canada and abroad. Through this work, I gained firsthand experience with how large, complex organizations evolve during periods of rapid change. When I joined Calian, it felt like the moment where my personal history, professional background and commitment to Cana- dian sovereignty fully aligned. I found a role where I could help strengthen a truly Canadian defence company and advance capabilities that directly support military readiness and national security. Q What is your role at your organization today? Today, I help lead corporate strategy, de- fence capability development and major strategic program transformations at Ca- lian. I also lead Marketing and Corporate Communications, ensuring our story, strategy and value are understood across the industries we serve. My role includes supporting government relations, stake- holder engagement and strengthening our presence within Canada's defence ecosystem. In addition, I drive defence and community outreach to elevate Ca- lian's profile as one of the few Canadian- headquartered defence companies with global reach. Q What was your most challenging moment? My most challenging moment came while navigating high-speed organiza- tional transformation during a period of rapid growth, which coincided with a generational moment for our key cus- tomers, including the Canadian Armed Forces and NATO. We were integrat- ing new acquisitions and diverse teams while working to maintain alignment, clarity and a unified direction. Manag- ing communications through complex change was critical to keeping employ- ees and customers informed, engaged and confident in our path. At the same time, I had to balance urgency, accuracy and consistency across a geographically dispersed workforce. Through all of this, we worked to evolve and align our brand, values and culture without losing sight of our core purpose: serving those who serve. Q What was your "a-ha" moment? My "a-ha" moment was recognizing the responsibility Calian holds—as one of the few truly Canadian defence companies— to help grow not just our own organiza- tion, but the national defence industry as a whole. More than 90 per cent of Can- ada's defence industrial base consists of SMEs, and their success is essential to na- tional resilience, sovereignty and emerg- ing sovereign capabilities. We saw a clear opportunity for Calian to strengthen the broader ecosystem by supporting inno- vators, founders and emerging Canadian technologies. This realization directly in- spired the creation of Calian VENTURES to mentor, invest in and accelerate Cana- dian defence innovators. Q How has innovation become ingrained in your organization's culture, and how is it being optimized? Innovation at Calian is deeply embedded through cross-functional collaboration among our industry and solutions teams. We've established innovation councils and centres of excellence that help accelerate ideas from concept to delivery. Our cul- ture encourages curiosity, experimenta- tion and rapid learning, and we ensure that insights from real mission environ- ments of our customers feed directly into solution development, so our innovations stay grounded in operational reality. Q What is your parting piece of advice? My parting advice is to stay connected to the mission behind your work. Defence is meaningful work, and purpose drives performance. Champion Canadian sover- eignty and capability wherever you can— it strengthens all of us and reinforces the resilience of our national defence ecosys- tem, economy and overall sovereignty. ROBIN RICHARDSON SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS CALIAN