BVT Stakeholder Relations Ship Building
Our Client BVT ( BAE VOSPER THORNYCROFT) asked JBA to help build relationships between the new business and the Royal Navy at Portsmouth Naval Base. Portsmouth is home to much of the Surface Fleet and also senior Royal Navy and MoD personnel. At Portsmouth the Royal Navy is both BVT’s customer and landlord.
Before:
The new business brought together the existing BAE Fleet Support Function and VT Ship Building Capability at Portsmouth.
Whilst the MoD and Royal Navy already had a strong relationship with Fleet Support they were unsighted on the Ship Yard side of the business, which, as well as building the new Type 45 Destroyers, will also play an important role in the construction of the two HMS Elizabeth class Aircraft Carriers. BVT is also constructing naval vessels for key UK strategic allies Oman and Trinidad and Tobago.
The Naval Base Commander (Portsmouth) and his team were concerned that the creation of BVT might result in a loss of focus on the day to day needs of the Royal Navy and needed reassurance about, and visibility of , BVT plans for the Portsmouth Naval Base site.
“With the new BVT organisation having such a large footprint on the Portsmouth Naval Base effective communications between the MoD locally and senior company directors was critical. The provision of communications support between BVT at strategic level and the Client at the waterfront went someway to avoid misunderstanding and allowed issues to be effectively and speedily resolved at local level or escalated to the BVT Board as appropriate. This was key to ensuring a positive working relationship across the Naval Base in the early days of the company and particularly welcome as an aid to communications between DES Head Office and the waterfront during the ToBA negotiations. Toll out of visualisation process across a number of Naval Base transformation projects was also beneficial in easing communications, increasing understanding and speeding up the change process.” Asst Director, Commercial Transformation, MoD, PNB
Results:
- Stakeholder Relations Manager located in Naval Base Commanders officer suite
- Tasked with managing day to day relationships with NBC and team
- Based on promise of “No Surprises”
- Early visibility of customer concerns
- Empowered to resolve locally or escalate to Board level as appropriate
- Unique insight into future customer requirements
- BVT directors invited to join in the social life of the Royal Navy
- MoD and RN Directors assured of BVT commitment to Partnership
- Processes and procedures in place to ensure continuity after the commission completed
