Stephen Pedder is Business Development Manager at Optima Systems Consultancy, bringing extensive experience across bid management, consulting and commercial operations within complex, highly regulated environments.
Stephen holds a First-Class Master’s degree in Mathematics and Physics and began his career as a Research Scientist at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). There, he worked on innovative research programmes, managed large-scale trials, supported international collaborations, and represented Dstl with partners in Australia, Canada and NATO.
He later joined Sula Systems, a systems engineering SME acquired by Jacobs, where he managed interfaces between complex systems, developed technology roadmaps and conducted system maturity assessments. His strengths in bid development led to a permanent role within business development.
Stephen subsequently spent 12 years in a naval architecture consultancy, supporting government and industry customers, progressing to Business Development Manager. He now supports Optima’s growth across the Defence, Nuclear, Aerospace and Transport sectors, working closely with technical teams to develop clear, compelling and compliant client solutions.