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Meet the judge

Meet judge, Alison Stevenson 

Alison Stevenson OBE

Alison Stevenson has recently left the Ministry of Defence, after a Civil Service career spanning some 40 years. She is currently taking a break before embarking on her next adventure.

Her last post (until July 2025) was Director General Transformation (a role which evolved from her original appointment as Director General Delivery and Strategy in 2023). She was responsible for ensuring that the Defence enterprise delivered Ministerial priorities, including the development and delivery of the Departmental strategy and plan.

Prior to this, from 2018, Alison led the MOD’s network of Overseas Bases, Hubs, and Support facilities, ensuring they were able to protect sovereignty and enhance the UK’s global reach. In this role she also served as the Gender Champion for UK Strategic Command. Alison began her career as a graduate engineering trainee and worked in research establishments, before holding various roles in project management, policy, and corporate governance.

As MOD’s Head of NATO and Europe Policy from 2009 to 2015, she developed and implemented UK defence policy objectives for international security organisations and maintained effective defence bilateral relations with European nations. During that time, she made use of a range of working patterns including part time and job share (the first Senior Civil Service job share in the MOD).

Alison is married to Colin and they have three grown-up children.