About this Presentation
Join Simon, Rene, and Tim as they explore the successful implementation of Critical Chain Project Management and Rules of Flow within BAE Systems. This presentation will showcase real-world applications, the challenges faced during implementation, and the significant benefits realized across various projects, highlighting how these methodologies have enhanced efficiency and project delivery.
What Will You Learn
To help you get the most value from this session, we’ve highlighted a few key points. These takeaways capture the main ideas and practical insights from the presentation, making it easier for you to review, reflect, and apply what you’ve learned.
BAE Systems, one of the globe's largest defense contractors, has been on a long journey with TOC and Critical Chain, emphasizing the importance of a performance-driven and values-led corporate culture.
The company has developed a five-step implementation model, which includes a pilot, proper evaluation, proper preparation for the pilot, and review after the pilot.
BAE Systems has faced challenges in crossing the chasm between early adopters and early majority in technology adoption, emphasizing the need for clear results, logical and practical enablers, and mitigating the lack of risk tolerance.
Instructor(s)
Simon White
Simon M White is Chair of TOCICO and a senior leader at WiseTech Global, where he works across enterprise delivery, organisational capability and education. Over a career spanning more than 30 years, he has led major projects and transformation initiatives across defence, logistics and technology in Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Saudi Arabia. Simon is a long-standing Theory of Constraints practitioner, speaker and advocate, with a particular interest in helping organisations see the system clearly, identify what is genuinely limiting performance, and improve flow. His work is grounded in a simple belief: capable people usually do not need fixing, but the systems around them often do.
Rene Nibbelke
René Nibbelke, Strategy and Business Development Director at Goldratt UK
René is a transformation leader with more than 30 years of experience across the aerospace, maritime, and defense sectors. He specializes in accelerating delivery, removing organizational bottlenecks, and improving performance through practical systems thinking.
He joined Goldratt UK in 2026 after leading major improvement and transformation programs at BAE Systems and within the UK Ministry of Defense. Following his introduction to the Theory of Constraints (TOC) and Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) in 2020, René supported award-winning implementations across land, air, and maritime programs. He also played a central role in developing the Association for Project Management’s Senior Managers’ and Project Managers’ Guide to Critical Chain.
An Honorary Industrial Fellow at the University of Bristol, René combines extensive industry experience with academic rigor. He is a Chartered Project Professional, Chartered Quality Professional, and recipient of multiple industry awards, including TOCICO’s TOC Champion Award and Outstanding Implementation Awards for his work on major defense programs, including Challenger 3 and Hawk Jet MRO.
Tim Stacey
Tim Stacey is a highly experienced Project Management Professional with extensive experience in the project delivery of military vehicles. His career includes meeting extensive surge requirements for operational requirements (Iraq and Afghanistan) and a leading Project Management role in the Challenger 3 program to deliver the most advanced main battle tank in NATO. Tim has led the use of Critical Chain Project Management / Theory of Constraints within the program.