How do you sell to a customer where the decision-maker is actually five different people, and half of them might move roles before the contract lands?

In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Dr Alison Hawks, co-founder and CEO of BMNT Ltd, about why defence innovation is becoming a structural opportunity, and why procurement literacy is often more important than the technology itself. They unpack the realities of B2G: long buying cycles, complex stakeholder incentives, and the traps that stall companies after a promising pilot.

The conversation lands at a timely moment. The UK’s Strategic Defence Review commits to an ‘always on’ munitions pipeline, including building at least six new energetics and munitions factories, signalling how seriously government is now treating sovereign capability and industrial resilience. From Commercial X and changing acquisition culture to data sovereignty, Oxford’s role in defence innovation, and what investors should look for in founders, this episode offers a practical map for navigating a market that rewards patience, clarity, and credible pathways to adoption.

• (00:00) - Welcome to Oxford+
• (00:37) - Defence Innovation as a Structural Opportunity
• (03:53) - Where UK Defence Tech Is Moving: AI, Autonomy, Manufacturing
• (06:01) - Why Defence Is Not a Commercial Customer
• (08:35) - Speaking the Customer’s Language and Understanding the Problem
• (09:18) - Sole Source, Compliance, and the Post-Pilot Trap
• (11:10) - Procurement Policy as a Maze, and How to Find the Front Doors
• (15:23) - The “American No” and Interpreting Signals from Government Buyers
• (17:07) - Sovereignty: Supply Chain, Data, and Technology Independence
• (20:08) - What BMNT Actually Does Day to Day for Clients
• (27:06) - The Section 809 Panel and Changing Acquisition Culture
• (34:42) - Oxford’s Role in the Next Wave of Defence Innovation

Dr Alison Hawks: Dr Alison Hawks is co-founder and CEO of BMNT Ltd, the UK arm of BMNT, where she advises governments and technology companies on accelerating adoption of commercial innovation in defence and national security. She also serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Common Mission Project UK, a charity delivering mission-driven entrepreneurial education programmes in the UK. She was named Woman of the Year for Innovation and Creativity at the Women in Defence Awards (2022)

Susannah de Jager: Susannah is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in UK asset management. She has worked closely with industry experts, entrepreneurs, and government officials to shape the conversation around domestic scale-up capital.

Connect with Susannah on LinkedIn and Subscribe to the Oxford+ Newsletter for Exclusive Content

Oxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager and supported by Mishcon de Reya, HSBC Innovation Banking, and James Cowper Kreston.

Produced and Edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.

What does success look like when world-leading research meets commercial sustainability?

In this bonus episode of Oxford Plus, Susannah de Jager sits down with Lisa Flashner to explore the evolving landscape of one of the world’s most famous academic cities. Lisa shares her transition from the West Coast to Oxford, highlighting the unique intellectual diversity and the "incredibly talented women" who drive the ecosystem forward. The conversation dives deep into the structural challenges of navigating the ecosystem and the ambitious vision for Oxford in 2050. From the development of new innovation hubs like Oxford North to the integration of robotics and AI in future-proofed buildings, Lisa provides an optimistic roadmap for how technology can improve the human condition.

Lisa Flashner: Lisa Flashner is the Chief Operating Officer of the Ellison Institute of Technology, where she leads strategic planning, operations, real estate, construction, and expansion efforts for the Oxford campus. Before relocating to Oxford, Lisa spent 15 years as the Chief Operating Officer of the Ellison Medical Institute in Los Angeles, where she led complex operations, large-scale programme execution, and strategic partnerships across science and health. She continues to support the Ellison Medical Institute as a senior adviser and serves as a board member of the Ellison Institute Research Foundation. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Illinois, a magna cum laude law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, and is a Certified Public Accountant. Her role at EIT places her at the centre of one of the most significant private investments in UK science and technology, overseeing the development of a campus that will ultimately accommodate up to 7,000 employees and house cutting-edge research in medical sciences, clean energy, sustainable agriculture, and AI and robotics.

Connect with Lisa Flashner on LinkedIn / Ellison Institute of Technology

Susannah de Jager: Susannah is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in UK asset management. She has worked closely with industry experts, entrepreneurs, and government officials to shape the conversation around domestic scale-up capital.

Connect with Susannah on LinkedIn and Subscribe to the Oxford+ Newsletter for Exclusive Content

Oxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager and supported by Mishcon de Reya, HSBC Innovation Banking, and James Cowper Kreston.

Produced and Edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.

How does one of the most significant private investments in UK science and technology history take shape on the ground in Oxford?

In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Lisa Flashner, Chief Operating Officer of the Ellison Institute of Technology, about Larry Ellison's ambitious vision to establish a transformative research campus in Oxford. They explore why Ellison chose Oxford as the home for EIT's first major European campus, the Institute's four main pillars of work: medical sciences, clean energy, sustainable agriculture, and AI and robotics, and the physical plans for a campus that will eventually house up to 7,000 people.

Lisa brings a unique perspective, having spent 15 years as COO of the Ellison Medical Institute in Los Angeles before relocating to Oxford. She discusses the cultural differences between US and UK innovation ecosystems, the Institute's "all boats rise" philosophy of collaboration with the University of Oxford and the broader ecosystem, and addresses early suspicions about whether EIT would drain talent from the university. Announced in October 2025, the Ellison Institute confirmed plans to spend more than £10 billion on talent and science programmes over the next decade. A major vote of confidence as the UK seeks to strengthen its position in global science and technology. From the Cowley Branch Line to the restoration of the Eagle and Child pub, this conversation offers a comprehensive look at how ambitious private investment can accelerate Oxford's transition from world-class discovery science to real-world impact.

• (00:00) - Welcome to Oxford+
• (00:21) - The Ellison Institute's Mission and Larry Ellison's Vision
• (02:40) - Four Pillars: Medical Sciences, Energy, Agriculture, AI
• (04:54) - From Los Angeles to Oxford
• (09:31) - Opening Up
• (13:46) - Partnering with the University and OSE
• (16:53) - Ellison Scholars: Bringing Global Talent to Oxford
• (21:35) - The Academic Partnership: How Ellison Works with Researchers
• (23:07) - US versus UK Innovation Culture
• (26:48) - Trump's Impact: An Opportunity for UK Science
• (28:40) - Building the Oxford Ecosystem
• (31:05) - The Ellison Institute's Long-Term Impact
• (31:43) - Generative Biology
• (34:10) - The Eagle and Child

Lisa Flashner: Lisa Flashner is the Chief Operating Officer of the Ellison Institute of Technology, where she leads strategic planning, operations, real estate, construction, and expansion efforts for the Oxford campus. Before relocating to Oxford, Lisa spent 15 years as the Chief Operating Officer of the Ellison Medical Institute in Los Angeles, where she led complex operations, large-scale programme execution, and strategic partnerships across science and health. She continues to support the Ellison Medical Institute as a senior adviser and serves as a board member of the Ellison Institute Research Foundation. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Illinois, a magna cum laude law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, and is a Certified Public Accountant. Her role at EIT places her at the centre of one of the most significant private investments in UK science and technology, overseeing the development of a campus that will ultimately accommodate up to 7,000 employees and house cutting-edge research in medical sciences, clean energy, sustainable agriculture, and AI and robotics.

Connect with Lisa Flashner on LinkedIn / Ellison Institute of Technology

Susannah de Jager: Susannah is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in UK asset management. She has worked closely with industry experts, entrepreneurs, and government officials to shape the conversation around domestic scale-up capital.

Connect with Susannah on LinkedIn and Subscribe to the Oxford+ Newsletter for Exclusive Content

Oxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager and supported by Mishcon de Reya, HSBC Innovation Banking, and James Cowper Kreston.

Produced and Edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.