Tim Hodgson CB MBE
Tim Hodgson joined the Australian Submarine Agency (ASA) in January 2024 as the Deputy Director-General Technical leading the delivery of the technical program requirements across all phases of the capability life cycle. Tim will oversee the establishment of the technical governance arrangements, processes and agreements to ensure the ASA is governed to the highest standards of Nuclear safety, security and safeguards.
Tim brings with him a wealth of experience working with, and serving on nuclear submarines with the UK Navy over a 41 year career.
In July 2016 he was promoted to Rear Admiral as Director Submarine Capability in the newly formed Defence Nuclear Organisation. He was Senior Responsible Officer for the Dreadnought, Astute, and Core Production Capability programs.
He was awarded Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in 2020. In July 2021 he became Director Nuclear Technology and was the UK Ministry of Defence lead for the AUKUS nuclear submarine partnership.
Promoted to Commodore in September 2012, Tim was appointed as Head of the In Services Submarines Programme Team responsible for the delivery of safe available submarines, the submarine rescue capability and the arrangements for submarine disposal. In March 2015 he joined the Ministry of Defence as Head of Nuclear Capabilities, delivering capability management of the Strategic Nuclear Deterrent, including submarines, missiles, warhead, propulsion, and disposal of nuclear submarines.
Promoted to Commander in 2000, he worked in capability programs, and then led the Nuclear Propulsion Capability Study 2003-2004 before joining the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator as Principal Inspector Nuclear Reactor Plant. In 2006, on promotion to Captain, he served in Navy Command Headquarters and led the Royal Navy Transformation Programme. In July 2007 he was appointed the Navy Command Chief Submarine Engineer, where he served for three years before appointment as the Future Submarine Chief Engineer (Marine Engineering) responsible for the design and integration of all marine engineering systems for the UK’s successor ballistic missile submarine.
Tim joined the Royal Navy in January 1982, and went on to study engineering at Cambridge University. On completion of his nuclear specialist courses he served in the Polaris submarines HMS RESOLUTION and HMS REVENGE.
As a Russian interpreter, he was appointed as the Assistant Naval Attaché in the British Embassy Moscow at the end of 1994. In 1997 he returned to sea as Chief Engineer in HMS TRENCHANT. As a result of his handling of an engineering defect whilst on-board he was appointed a Member of the British Empire (MBE) in 2000.
Tim is a graduate of the UK Advanced Command and Staff Course and has a Master of Arts in Defence Studies from King’s College London. He has also completed the Major Projects Leadership Academy at Said Business School, Oxford University. He is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
Tim is married to Jane and they are currently living in Canberra having relocated from London. He is a keen rugby union spectator and enjoys cycling, skiing and long distance hiking.