John Paterson CB is the Executive Chair of SmartIR, bringing decades of strategic leadership across defence, innovation, and advanced technology sectors. With a distinguished career in the UK Ministry of Defence, including senior roles as Director Capability at Strategic Command and Head of Finance and Military Capability, John managed multi-billion-pound technology portfolios spanning communications, cyber and space systems, surveillance, medical tech, and special projects. He was a founding member of the jHub oversight board and a graduate of the Royal College of Defence Studies.
In addition to his role at SmartIR, he serves as Chair of 2iC Limited, Advisory Board Member to the UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund (UKI2S), a £120m early-stage VC fund supporting deep-tech spinouts from the UK research base. He is also the Founder of Mission Analysis Limited, a consultancy that supports cutting-edge startups and scale-ups in fields such as AI/ML, AR/XR, aerospace, cybersecurity, and uncrewed systems.
John is a passionate advocate for technology in the national interest and a champion of innovation at the intersection of defence, enterprise, and humanitarian causes. He is a Trustee and Non-Executive Director at STOP THE TRAFFIK, a global charity using intelligence-led approaches to combat human trafficking.
At SmartIR, John provides strategic leadership and governance, drawing on his extensive cross-sector experience to help shape the company’s growth, impact, and long-term vision.