VIP & DELEGATIONS
VIP DELEGATION VISIT PROGRAMMES
DSEI’s hosted buyer programme delivered international delegations, military buyers, key decision makers and influencers to companies across the exhibition floor.
Our dedicated VIP engagement team worked with our distinguished partners to bring high-ranking officials from around the world, offering the most senior delegations a bespoke meeting and visit programming service.
These visiting delegations specify their specific procurement requirements or capabilities of interest, and we matched this with the exhibitors that have relevant products and services, and capabilities. This ensures a coordinated, time-efficient, and relevant experience for our VIP visitors, and maximises the return on investment for our exhibiting companies.
OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT OVERSEAS DELEGATIONS
The UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade - UK Defence and Security Exports (UKDSE) has issued official invitations overseas at Ministerial, Chief of Defence Staff, National Armament Director and Service Chief Levels. This will result in official representation at DSEI 2023 from each of the core sector groups of Land, Naval, and Air environments, the key Joint enablers – including Medical and those in the Information domain – and the broader Security and Space sectors. DSEI’s relevance could not be greater in this uncertain and challenging decade around the globe, so we envisage strong support from the international community at this most senior level at the event.
INTERNATIONAL VIP DELEGATIONS
DSEI provided a comprehensive domestic and international VIP delegation programme, which ran in parallel to the UK Government’s official overseas programme. The target audience was senior officers and equivalent defence officials serving in defence equipment procurement and capability roles, together with operational appointees from Ministries of Defence across the globe.
This year we have consulted with our Industry partners and the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), Department for Business & Trade, and other key Government stakeholders to identify several priority countries across new and traditional markets to focus on.
DOMESTIC VIP DELEGATIONS
On the domestic side, the DSEI Defence Engagement team and senior advisors have met with key UK MOD and Government officials where options were discussed for developing a platform at DSEI 2023 for their needs and agreeing the central theme. Quarterly 2* Top Level Budget Steering Group and monthly MOD and Command-level Working Group meetings, chaired by designated DSEI military project officers, were once again convened to shape the Armed Services and MOD’s representation and messaging at DSEI 2023.
CROSS DOMAIN COLLABORATION
DSEI 2023 had the full collaboration and support from the UK Secretary of State for Defence and his Ministerial team, the Chief of Defence Staff and Permanent Secretary, the Royal Navy’s First Sea Lord, the Chief of the General Staff of the British Army, the Chief of the Air Staff of the Royal Air Force, Commander UK Strategic Command, Commander UK Space Command, and Chief Executives from Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) and the UK R&D Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl).
GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATION AT DSEI 2023
Under the direction of the MOD, the UK Strategic Command lead Government participation at DSEI 2023, focusing on the importance of the UK continuing to integrate at all levels and across all the operational domains.
Each of the Armed Services and Space Command, the Ministry of Defence together with the Department for Business and Trade, the MOD’s procurement organisation DE&S, UK MOD Defence Science & Innovation and Dstl, together with UK MOD and Armed Service Innovation Departments, had a significant presence at the event, and a strong line-up of MOD keynotes and speakers featured in Seminar programmes. DSEI 2023 was the most significant in its 24-year history, and it will have enjoyed the strongest levels of support ever from the UK Government, the UK Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces.
Senior Officials across these areas met overseas official defence delegations and engaged with UK and international exhibitors throughout the four days of DSEI.
