Season 1 | Episode 2

On this week’s episode, we welcome former British Royal Navy Director of Operations and executive officer Chris Gare. From training underwater warfare, to managing fleet operations at NATO, Chris shares his experience navigating obstacles and affecting positive change, within complex political environments at the international level.

Transcript

Daniel:
Welcome to the Rough Seas Marine Engineering Podcast, a place where industry leaders guide us through the perilous, tumultuous, and sometimes pure crazy times of a career at sea.

Daniel:
On this week’s episode, we welcome former British Royal Navy Director of Operations and Executive Officer Chris Gair from Training Underwater Warfare to Managing Fleet Operations at NATO. Chris shares his experience navigating obstacles and effecting positive change within complex political environments at the international level.

Ben Garvey:
So, Chris, I’m thankful for you coming and being involved in this. This is really exciting. I’ve read a little bit about your background from where you shared, and I’d love to hear you kind of describe your origin story here and what brings you, you know, ultimately to Halifax and to TT, your company. Tell us a little bit about your background and why you’re here. How you’re here, what you’ve done?

Chris Gare:
Yeah, certainly. Thanks for having me, Ben. And yeah, it’s exciting to be on a podcast. I had a very kind of traditional career trajectory in the Royal Navy. I joined the Royal Navy in ’95 straight out of school and then did the Standard Warfare Officer Route, which was Officer Watch, and into Navigating Officer, into Principal Warfare Officer. So starting similarly to you on boats.

Chris Gare:
I started on minehunters when they were minesweepers, still towing all that gear and doing all that seamanship side of that, and then onto frigates as an Officer Watch, as the Deck Officer. I was a Navigating Officer on a Type 23 as well as several offshore patrols, Brussels, and a force navigator for the mine countermeasures force out in the Baltic for six months, as well as down to the Falklands for six months and navigating around there, which also included a trip down to the South Sandwich Islands, really interesting just outside the Antarctic Circle with lots of icebergs and penguins. That was a highlight, along with a couple of trips to South Georgia a few times. Then, from there, I transitioned from the bridge down into the operations room where you’re orchestrating and battling in all warfare domains—air, surface, and subsurface. It was a fast-paced environment, speaking to the officers, engineers, and the captain, trying to prioritize threats and manage tasks.

Ben Garvey:
Fantastic.

Chris Gare:
Yeah, and as a Principal Warfare Officer, I specialized in underwater warfare on Type 23s, gaining experience with Total Array and Low Frequency Active Total Array Zone operations. Then I joined the C Training Organization, training and mentoring warfare teams on Type 23s for anti-submarine warfare missions at sea. This included disaster relief training exercises, simulating hurricanes or tornadoes with role players acting as injured people, and coordinating command and control.

Ben Garvey:
Congratulations on that.

Chris Gare:
Thank you. After nearly 28 years, it was time to seek new challenges outside the armed forces. My military planning skills transitioned well into project management, leading to a role with Turner and Townsend, facilitating integrated baseline reviews on the Canadian Surface Combatant project.

Ben Garvey:
You don’t look that old when you’re 20.

Chris Gare:
Haha, well, I have short hair. If it grows long, you can see how great it is. I wanted to leave on a high note, contributing to operational footing in response to Ukraine. The leadership and management skills from the military are highly transferable to the civilian sector.

Ben Garvey:
What drove you to the Navy in the first place? Was this a family connection?

Chris Gare:
Yes, I had a family connection. My late stepfather was in the Royal Marines and fought in the Second World War. Growing up in a small town in East Sussex, I always wanted to travel and join the Navy was an opportunity to see the world and have interesting experiences. I stayed as long as it was fun and enjoyed my career, but with a young family, priorities changed.

Ben Garvey:
It must have been a really interesting time to join the Navy, post-Falklands.

Chris Gare:
Absolutely. When I joined, we were still integrating lessons from the Falklands, especially in battle damage control. We had trainers who served in the Falklands, teaching us firefighting and damage control, which emphasized the importance of handling both wartime and peacetime incidents like collisions or groundings.

Ben Garvey:
Fascinating. The lessons from the Falklands must still resonate today.

Chris Gare:
Yes, they do. The Royal Navy was still large post-Cold War, similar to other Western navies, but with a peace dividend and shrinking forces. Now, there’s a renewed focus on reinvesting in defense, creating more opportunities for young people.

Ben Garvey:
Each role must present different challenges and lessons. Which experiences were most formative or challenging for you as a leader and commander?

Chris Gare:
One of the biggest challenges was transitioning to an Executive Officer on a Type 23 frigate that had just returned from a nine-month deployment. We were facing issues with recruitment and retention, especially in engineering roles. We introduced an innovative crewing model, reducing crew numbers to free up bunk spaces for training. This required a deep understanding of risks, ensuring we had suitably qualified personnel for critical roles like the GMDSS operator. It involved implementing an operating duty holder model from the Haddon Cave report, focusing on operational risk and safety.

Ben Garvey:
Congratulations on managing that change successfully.

Chris Gare:
Thank you. It was a significant change program, requiring excellent departmental leadership and aligning all departments—logistics, marine engineering, weapon engineering, and warfare. We had to build a sense of urgency, establish leadership at all levels, and formalize processes to ensure enduring change beyond our tenure.

Ben Garvey:
How did implementing change on the vessel differ from implementing it within NATO?

Chris Gare:
On the ship, you know everyone personally, which can make both collaboration and resistance easier to manage. In NATO, introducing new policies involved working with commanders from various nations, requiring strong personal connections and understanding cultural differences. Formalizing processes ensured that changes were enduring, even after individuals moved on.

Ben Garvey:
That’s a valuable nugget of gold for people entering the workforce. How has your diverse military experience prepared you for the private sector?

Chris Gare:
Every role in the military increases responsibility and builds different skill sets. Transitioning to the civilian sector, especially in consulting, involves applying those diverse experiences to project management and stakeholder engagement. Embracing a squiggly career path with varied roles broadens your skill set and adds value, even if it’s outside your core area.

Ben Garvey:
It’s interesting how diverse experience is fundamentally important, despite advice to stick with one path. What’s your motivation now?

Chris Gare:
My motivation is being part of a team and valuing the people within it. I enjoy supporting and improving team dynamics, much like my time in training and leadership roles. I aim to continue growing and working with a bigger team in the future.

Ben Garvey:
That’s incredibly diverse and detailed. It’s wonderful to see how those experiences are transferable into the private sector while still supporting what you’ve done.

Chris Gare:
Yes, and when transitioning out of the military, interacting with others who have diverse experiences reinforces the value of a wide-ranging career path. It’s not just sticking to a core path but embracing varied roles that provide a broad range of skills.

Ben Garvey:
Looking at where you are now, in the private sector supporting the defense industry, what gets you excited and optimistic? What drives you each day?

Chris Gare:
It’s all about the people—being part of a team, being valued, and valuing others. I enjoy helping improve and support people, similar to my training and classroom roles. Working in a consultancy role allows me to engage deeply with projects and teams, fostering improvement and collaboration.

Ben Garvey:
That’s a great perspective. Balancing team involvement with individual contributions is key.

Chris Gare:
Exactly. Whether it’s leading a team or facilitating project management, the focus remains on collaboration and continuous improvement. I look forward to growing and contributing to larger teams in the future.

Ben Garvey:
Excellent. I appreciate all the input here. Thank you very much, Chris. It’s been a real pleasure and a great learning experience. I look forward to chatting again.

Chris Gare:
Yeah, thanks, Ben. I appreciate it.

Daniel:
This episode was produced by me, Daniel Baugh, at Enginuity Studios. If you have a story to tell about life within the marine sector or have an engineering challenge you want to share with one of our experts, please reach out to info@enginuityinc.ca. To learn how you can overcome your organization’s harsh environment challenges, please visit our website, enginuityinc.ca. We’d love to hear from you. Until next time, fair winds and following seas.

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Chris Gare

Chris Gare

Associate Director - Turner & Townsend

Chris Gare is a maritime defense expert with over 28 years of leadership and project experience gained in the Royal Navy, NATO, and commercial sector. Awarded the NATO Meritorious Service Medal in 2022, Chris prides himself on being a collaborative leader adept at implementing change through building successful stakeholder relationships.

As an Associate Director with Turner & Townsend, Chris is passionate about helping drive continuous improvement within organisations and has a strong interest in disruptive technologies.