ICW was delighted to host a Collaborative Leaders in Defence Lunch at the House of Lords yesterday, supported by MODUS (a joint venture led by Vercity, alongside partners Amey and Skanska). It brought together senior leaders from across defence, government, and industry to explore how collaboration is shaping the future of our defence capability and delivery.

The event opened with a warm welcome from ICW Chairman, Lord John Hannett, and a keynote address from Lord Vernon Coaker, Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence, who highlighted the vital role collaboration plays in strengthening our national defence and resilience.

John Brazier, Operations Director at Modus Services Ltd, provided inspirational insights into the MODUS Journey that has led them to become a leading-edge collaborative organisation, delivering real, consistent value in partnership with their client, the MOD.

In his remarks, Frank Lee, ICW's Chief Executive, recognised the commitment of ICW members who actively demonstrate collaboration through their actions - whether by contributing to our thought leadership groups, engaging in Active+ initiatives, or sharing expertise to advance collaborative best practice across sectors.

These actions strongly reflect ICW's purpose: to enable organisations to build and embed collaborative capability to deliver greater value, resilience, and innovation. In the defence sector, this means fostering trusted and sustained relationships between public, private, and specialist partners to enhance capability, efficiency, and delivery outcomes.

It was inspiring to see leaders engage in thoughtful discussion, share valuable insights, and strengthen connections across the sector - all with a shared commitment to working better together.

We look forward to building on these conversations and continuing to champion closer cross-sector collaboration, helping connect our member organisations to build stronger collaborative networks.