Meet judge, Lois Nicholson 

Lois Nicholson, Deputy Director, Defence Reform, UK Ministry of Defence (MOD)

Lois has been committed to defence and national security throughout her career. In the early stages, Lois worked in the private sector, leading cross-industrial, multi-national systems engineering teams in the UK and overseas in the design of complex military systems. On joining the Civil Service, Lois led teams across MOD in research and acquisition of military systems, as well as a posting to the British Embassy Washington DC where she was responsible for research exchange with the US, and leading a strategic transformation of UK personnel across the US to meet defence priorities.

On return from the US, Lois was appointed to the Senior Civil Service (SCS) as MOD’s Head of Scrutiny, leading a team providing independent scrutiny of multi-billion pound programmes, advising the MOD’s senior leadership on the robustness of cases, so investment decisions can be taken and value for money for the tax payer achieved.

In 2018, Lois was posted to the British Embassy Washington DC in the role of Minster Counsellor Defence Acquisition and Technology, and a member of the British Defence Staff Management Board. Lois led a team responsible for working with the US in the areas of defence acquisition and trade, research and technology and future capability development.

In 2023, on return to the UK, Lois was appointed Head of International and Industry Cooperation Group, DE&S, MOD, where she was responsible for managing the International Capability Delivery centre of expertise and cooperation with industry. She led a multi-disciplinary team providing advice and support to DE&S and wider MOD on delivering cooperative armaments programmes and on equipment related international arrangements and US export controls. She supported CEO DE&S in his role as National Armaments Director (NAD), and represented the UK in international fora such as NATO and OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation).

In November 2024, Lois joined the MOD Defence Reform team, which is delivering the deepest reforms in UK Defence for 50 years. She is responsible for and contributing to cross-cutting themes and the emerging design of the newly established 4* National Armaments Director area, contributing to MOD’s priority for the programme to create a strong, efficient Defence organisation at pace, and establishing a new Operating Model in April 2025.

Lois is passionate about supporting the development of others. Before her posting to the US, as part of MOD’s senior leadership, Lois led the SCS Unit Ambassador Scheme, which successfully promoted more visibility and engagement of the senior civilian leadership with wider civil service community across Defence. As a senior female in the Embassy and gender champion, Lois was privileged to lead a US network women's learning set, encouraging and supporting British Embassy staff. She built relationship with the Women in Defense US network, and led events and initiatives to showcase the amazing talents, skills and capability of women in the defence enterprise (UK, US, allied).

Lois has achieved professional accreditation as a Chartered Manager (Fellow of Chartered Manager Institute), becoming one of the first in the MOD to achieve this professional qualification and recognition. In August 2019, Lois graduated as an Allied Fellow from the US CAPSTONE senior leadership programme.