Speakers

Dr Karen Jane Gordon is a senior systems engineering people and capability leader with a strong technical foundation in lasers and photonics, and extensive experience working across complex, high‑integrity engineering environments. Based in Edinburgh, she is widely recognised for her ability to bridge deep technical understanding with strategic workforce and capability development. With early‑career experience in lasers, photonics, and advanced physical systems, Dr Gordon developed a rigorous, analytical approach to problem‑solving, systems thinking, and evidence‑based decision‑making. Her technical background continues to inform her work, enabling her to engage credibly with engineers, scientists, and senior technical leaders, and to translate specialist disciplines into sustainable organisational capability. In her current role as Systems People and Capability Lead at Leonardo UK, Dr Gordon operates at the intersection of systems engineering, human capability, and organisational performance. She focuses on aligning people strategies with complex technical systems, supporting long‑term capability growth, leadership effectiveness, and organisational maturity across multidisciplinary teams. Dr Gordon’s work spans capability frameworks, organisational development, and cultural change, with a particular interest in how technical excellence, systems integration, and human factors combine to shape outcomes in high‑consequence environments. She is known for connecting theory and practice, ensuring that people, processes, and systems evolve together.