24 Feb 2027, CENTRAL LONDON
2027 theme: communications as a capability
The UK's annual conference for defence and security communicators
Reputation Masterclass is the only annual event dedicated entirely to communications, marketing and reputation in defence and security.
One day. One audience. One purpose: giving you the strategies, connections and confidence to protect and build reputation in the most complex communications environment there is.
Returning February 2027 but at a new central London venue, easily accessible by Tube and at the end of two major train lines. The exact location will be shared with registered and verified ticket holders ahead of the event. The day also marks five years since the invasion of Ukraine, and we will take a moment to reflect on what it has taught our profession.
The agenda is now live, with more speakers to be announced. Secure your place now.
Who is it for?
For defence and security communications professionals
This isn't a generic marketing conference. Every speaker, every session and every conversation sits in your context.
Reputation Masterclass is for:
- Communications and PR leads in defence primes, mid-tier companies and innovative SMEs
- Marketing and BD directors responsible for positioning defence and security capabilities
- Government communications teams across MOD, single services, agencies and front-line commands
- CEOs and founders of defence and security companies who are the face of their brand
- Agency professionals supporting defence and security clients
Whether you work for the MOD, a global prime or a 10-person start-up, you'll be in a room full of people who understand your operating environment.
Why we created this
As a technically expert communications consultancy for defence and security, we've spent years supporting the people in this room. We know the challenges because we work on them every day: translating complex technology, navigating classified environments, managing reputation when you can't always tell the full story.
We created Reputation Masterclass because this community deserved its own event. A full day built around the issues that actually matter to us.
Supporting the military community is part of why we run it, and we donate to military charities from every Reputation Masterclass, turning professional development into meaningful support for the Armed Forces community.
We bring together our network — the journalists, the MOD leaders, the agency specialists, the in-house teams at the primes — and create a day where knowledge flows freely and everyone leaves sharper than they arrived.
- Practical tools to manage reputation in high-pressure situations
- Insider perspectives on emerging challenges in our industry and profession
- Help raise funds for military charities
- Take your place in this supportive community
- Networking opportunities with industry peers
- Strategies to navigate geopolitical complexities
- Log 10 CIPR CPD points
In 2026
95 defence and security communications professionals filled the room at Farnborough.
20+ speakers including MOD Deputy Director of Communications, Defence Editor of The Times, communications leads from BAE Systems, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and more.
Sessions ranged from the PR-media partnership and UK Government communications priorities to technical storytelling, AI in defence communications and maximising impact at major defence events.
In 2027 we're going bigger. A central London venue, new topics and room for the community to grow.
Listen to past Reputation Masterclass content
Want to get a feel for the calibre of content and conversation? The speakers and talks from RM25 and RM26 have appeared on Canny Chats, our podcast exploring communications, reputation and influence in the defence and security world.
Subscribe to hear from the people who shape our profession and industry — and get a preview of the kind of thinking you'll find at Reputation Masterclass.
Can't wait until February?
Can't wait until February? Reputation Labs.
Reputation Masterclass is the big picture, once a year. Reputation Labs are the deep dive, throughout the year.
Each Lab is a focused, hands-on session on a single capability your organisation needs. Small groups, expert-led, CIPR accredited. You bring a real challenge from your work and leave with something you've built around it: an action plan, a measurement framework, a draft strategy, a sharper pitch. Designed for CEOs, founders, technical leads, business development directors and communications teams across defence and security.
Standard rate:
£250 + VAT
ADS Group & Make UK Defence members:
£200 + VAT (20% discount)
Contact us for the relevant discount code: info@canny-comms.co.uk
MOD
- Complimentary
- (Limited number. Email us at info@canny-comms.co.uk to request a place)
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS
Lindsay Compton
Founder & CEO of Canny Comms
Helena Holden
Ops director & senior consultant
Alex Griffiths
Client strategy director
Alanah Donnell
VP communications, Draken
Freya Lewis
Director of communications
Harry Lye
Government relations, QinetiQ
Key details
Date: 24 February 2027
Time: 09:00 arrival for a 09:30 start – 17:00 finish
Location: Central London
Access: At the end of two major train lines, easily accessible from the Tube
CPD points: 10 CIPR CPD points
Dress: Business casual
Food: Lunch and refreshments included
Agenda
This agenda is a draft and may change.
08:45 | Registration, refreshments and networking
09:20 | Welcome and scene-setter
The year ahead for defence and security communications: what has changed, what’s coming, and what we are here to work out. We’ll also take a moment to mark five years since the invasion of Ukraine.
09:40 | Panel: Communications as a capability, not a bolt-on
How do the best comms and marketing teams organise themselves, influence everyone outside the function, and earn a seat at the board? A frank look at what it takes to make communications a capability your organisation relies on, rather than something added at the end.
10:30 | Lessons from the information front line
How are Ukraine and its adversary communicating during the war, and what can defence communicators learn from them? A rare first-hand perspective on what works, what doesn’t, and what it means for us. This session runs under the Chatham House rule.
11:00 | Break and networking
11:25 | Lightning talk: industry case study
One campaign, end to end: the audience insight, what worked and what didn’t.
11:40 | Panel: AI beyond the pilot
The gap between cautious in-house teams and fast-moving agencies. What clients should now expect, what AI means for hiring and the graduate route, and how to use it securely in a classified environment.
12:35 | Lunch and networking
13:35 | Panel: Weaponised channels and the influencer problem
How channels and campaigns are being weaponised, from mis- and disinformation to the vulnerabilities in the channels we rely on. How defence uses influence today, from influencers and micro-influencers to lobbying and BD, and how to spot influence that’s been artificially inflated.
14:20 | Session to be announced
15:00 | Break and networking
15:20 | Lightning talk: the human cost
As UK defence prepares for the possibility of conflict, industry and MOD may increasingly need to talk about the people behind capability, including those who are wounded, injured or sick. How to tell those stories ethically and responsibly.
15:35 | Case study panel
Our lightning talk speakers back on stage for an open Q&A.
16:00 | Closing keynote: the national conversation
Transition to conflict is now a policy assumption. What does that mean for civilian audiences, for the language we use, and for organisations that have never had to talk about war?
16:40 | Close
16:50 | Drinks at a nearby pub