Paul O’Shaughnessy, VP at KBR, and Jim Hartshorne, Managing Director, Commercial at Unipart
Unipart and KBR announced a new strategic partnership bringing together the two businesses’ world-class capabilities to deliver innovative and resilient solutions for the defence industry.
The partnership combines Unipart’s expertise in supply chain management, logistics, and digital solutions with KBR’s deep-rooted experience in systems engineering, programme management, and defence operational support.
The official signing ceremony, held at the KBR stand at DSEI 2025, the flagship event for the defence sector in the UK, was attended by key leaders from both companies and the wider defence community. The partnership was cemented with a formal signing by Jim Hartshorne, Managing Director, Commercial at Unipart, and Paul O’Shaughnessy, VP at KBR.
The announcement follows a series of successful high-level meetings, including a gathering of key leaders from both organisations. The discussions brought together Darren Leigh, CEO of Unipart, with Gabe Camarillo, SVP, Defense Technology Solutions at KBR, alongside Jim Hartshorne and Paul O’Shaughnessy, underscoring the strategic importance and shared vision of the partnership.
Jim Hartshorne, Unipart’s Managing Director, Commercial, commented on the significance of the new venture: “This partnership with KBR is a natural fit, uniting two organisations with a shared commitment to innovation and excellence. The defence sector is evolving rapidly, and the demands on supply chains are more complex than ever. By combining Unipart’s award-winning logistics and digital capabilities with KBR’s extensive defence knowledge, we can offer a truly unique and powerful proposition to our clients. We are ready to help defence organisations build more resilient, efficient, and sustainable operations for the future.”
Paul O’Shaughnessy, Vice President at KBR, added: “We are delighted to join forces with Unipart in this strategic partnership which positions us uniquely to deliver innovative, sovereign secured and resilient solutions for the defence sector. This collaboration underscores the commitment to our shared vision of enhancing the operational readiness and sustainability of our armed forces. Together, we will provide integrated, intelligence-led supply chain solutions that ensure uninterrupted operational readiness and a sustainable future for our nation.”
The partnership, poised to become a key player in the defence market, will focus on delivering integrated, intelligence-led supply chain solutions that ensure uninterrupted operational readiness, seamless transformation, and a sustainable future for our armed forces and the nation.
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