Welcome to our new joiner round-up for December! We're thrilled to have Vee, Mark and Paul join Inzpire - bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge to the team and our valued customers.
We are delighted to welcome Victoria Hooton (aka Vee) to Inzpire, as an MCAST (Maritime Command & Staff Trainer) Maritime Planner.
Vee has over 30 years’ experience across defence, government and the commercial sectors. She joined the Royal Navy in 1992 as a Warfare Officer, watchkeeping in mine counter measure vessels and frigate/destroyers and sub-specialised as a Seaking Mk4 Junglie pilot.
Experiencing a variety of FGen roles focussed on littoral manoeuvre, she finished her flying in the MK7 Sea King Airborne Surveillance and Control. OF4 roles included Duty Holder for the Maritime Sea King Force, Defence Safety Authority-Military Aviation Authority Lead Planner, and J3/5 SJC(UK) supporting the civil authorities (MACA) delivering UK resilience and security.
Vee lives with Dan, Clara & Anna, 3 dogs (2 Spaniels and a Jack Russell) and a cat. She loves the great outdoors, but her spare time is mostly occupied driving around the country driving her #2 daughter to netball matches!
Mark Beckett recently joined our Air and Space Division as an ISR Linguist Subject Matter Expert for 51 Squadron.
Mark joined the RAF in 1986 as an Intelligence Analyst (voice), serving at 26 Signals Unit until the fall of the Berlin Wall. In 1997, he graduated as a Weapons Systems Operator (linguist) and was posted to 51 Sqn for Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR) missions on the Nimrod R1.
He completed operational tours in support of the Balkans conflicts, Sierra Leone, Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria, accruing over 5,500 flying hours and completing interpreter language training in Russian, Pashto and Serbo-Croat.
Mark left the RAF in December 2024 after 38 years' service to work with Janes Defence as an Open-Source Intelligence Tradecraft Instructor. Mark is married to Elizabeth, also a former 51 Sqn Master Aircrew linguist. Together they enjoy hill walking and touring in their campervan with Odin, their Cockapoo.
Welcome to the team, Mark!
We’re also pleased to welcome Paul Pitcher to our Maritime team, as an MCAST Exercise Delivery Manager.
Paul was born and grew up in Jersey, before joining the Royal Navy on a university cadetship in 1989.
Following bridge watchkeeping and Principal Warfare Officer appointments, he commanded an offshore patrol vessel (OPV) conducting fishery protection in UK waters, followed by command of a second OPV to the Falkland Islands.
Paul then spent a year in the Ministry of Defence before returning to sea as the Commander in the amphibious helicopter carrier HMS OCEAN.
In 2021, he took responsibility for the safety, capability management, policies and budget for the Royal Navy’s Surface Flotilla. Following a re-organisation, Paul integrated these responsibilities with command of the Flotilla for two years until 2025.
Paul lives with his wife Diane, a former Navy medic, their two children and a Romanian rescue dog called Suki.
