Published 22 September 2025
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Congratulations to Lisa Thorne, Head of Support Capabilities and Commodities, and Catherine Smith, Defence Munitions Senior Logistic Operations Manager, who have been selected from hundreds of nominees.
The Women in Defence UK Awards marks its tenth anniversary this year, celebrating individuals who make exceptional contributions to protecting the nation. Lisa and Catherine join 60 other talented nominees from organisations including Rolls-Royce, Leonardo, Babcock, GCHQ and MI5.
Lisa has been shortlisted in the Inspirational Award category for positively influencing colleagues’ career choices.
After being nominated Lisa said:
“I’m absolutely blown away to have even been nominated in the Inspirational Category for Women in Defence, let alone be shortlisted.
“I’m truly thankful to be able to do a job I love, work with amazing people, in an incredible organisation. We absolutely make a difference every day for Defence, supporting our mission partners in protecting our nation, I’m so proud to say that.
“Being passionate about what I do, with the people I work alongside, is really the most rewarding job I’ve done. Good luck to all the nominees.”
Catherine earned recognition in the Resolute Spirit Award category for demonstrating steadfast perseverance whilst overcoming adversity.
Catherine said:
“I am truly honoured and immensely proud to be shortlisted for the Women in Defence Awards in the Resolute Spirit Award category. This nomination came as a complete surprise to me and feels incredibly humbling.
“To be recognised alongside such inspiring women is a huge privilege. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to represent resilience, determination and service within Defence. This nomination reflects not only my journey, but also the unwavering support from those around me at home and within Defence Munitions.”
Women in Defence UK is an independent not-for-profit organisation, founded in 2011 by former Army officer Angela Owen OBE. With a network of more than 15,000 people and over 40 partners spanning every level of the defence sector, it aims to stimulate positive change across Defence by supporting women’s career development and leadership.
Jo Osburn-Hughes, DE&S Director People and Diversity Co-champion, said:
I’m delighted that Lisa and Catherine have been shortlisted for the Women in Defence 2025 Awards. This recognition is a testament to their outstanding contributions, within DE&S and in support of Defence as a whole. Well done and good luck for the final event!
We wish Lisa and Catherine the best of luck in the next stage of the process, as judges now go on to decide the finalists for each category. Winners will be announced at a ceremony on the 25 November.
Find out more about what we do at DE&S.
Defence Experts Delivering for the Nation
DE&S helps our armed forces protect the nation, our territories and our allies. Few other organisations have a higher collective purpose. It’s this purpose that drives our experts to deliver every day, making sure the soldiers, sailors and aviators serving our country have what they need to succeed.
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Our commitment extends beyond delivering world-class equipment and support to the UK Armed Forces; we are dedicated to supporting UK economic growth, driving exports, championing sustainability and creating social value across our operations and the contracts we place with industry.
