Liverpool City Region Entrepreneur Appointed Honorary Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander
Liverpool City Region entrepreneur and inclusion advocate, Simone Roche MBE has been appointed to become an Honorary Lieutenant Commander for Royal Navy and Royal Marines by HM Queen Elizabeth II.
Hon Lt Cdr Simone Roche MBE
Business representation and inclusion trailblazer, Simone Roche MBE, is one of five honorary officers from the north in the Royal Navy and the only female.
Simone Roche is the founder of Northern Power Women and Northern Power Futures, campaigns aimed at accelerating gender equality and social mobility from the north of England.
Simone was appointed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, earlier this month. As part of this appointment, she will undergo a training programme to provide the necessary background knowledge and key skills to undertake representative duties on behalf of the Naval Service. Hon Lt Cdr Simone Roche MBE said:
“I joined the Royal Navy at the age of 18, so this feels like returning home. I can now reflect and wax lyrical about how integral the values and opportunities it afforded me are to my life and career now, and how they have made me who I am. As the recruitment campaign said, ‘I was made in the Royal Navy’. And lo and behold, I’m back again!”
Honorary officers in the Royal Navy bring a breadth of experience and contribute in their own distinct way to strengthen the Naval Service’s ties with the communities it serves.
Simone said: “It is my great honour to accept this position in the Royal Navy as one of the honorary officers, particularly as there are only around 30 across the world who hold the title.
“Honorary Officers of the RNR come from a variety of high-profile backgrounds across industry, sport and charitable organisations. Their role is to represent the Royal Navy through their day to day lives, including ceremonial duties.
“I want to use this position to create greater diversity in the Navy, as well as to show the community the huge number of amazing and different career paths on offer, with first rate skills training, incredible support and opportunities to see the world.”
The Royal Navy’s Area Regional Commander Commodore, Phil Waterhouse, said: “Simone is a great friend and advocate of the Naval Service and her appointment will deepen the relationship between the community and the Royal Navy. The armed forces are inclusive employers.
“We recognise the value of diversity and proudly serve all members of our communities at home and overseas. As the only female honorary Royal Navy officer in the north, Simone will wear her naval officer’s uniform with pride.”
A big part of Simone’s appeal is her background. She has earned every success through grit and hard work over many years, which makes her a brilliant role model. From joining the Royal Navy at 17 as a radio operator, she scaled the ranks up to Lieutenant, before taking up roles outside of the Royal Navy, including looking after sponsors for the London Olympics 2012, and events and sales management roles at Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Aintree Racecourse. She was then appointed deputy general manager of operations for the build of the new M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool.
But, more recently, Simone has developed a specialist network of impactful women and men, curating a portfolio of campaigns including Northern Power Women, Northern Power Futures and the Power Platform – all focused on connecting people with people and with purposeful opportunities. Simone was awarded the MBE in 2018 for services to gender equality in the North.
Simone embraces her nautical passion and lives on a houseboat with her husband in Liverpool.
For more information please visit: www.northernpowerwomen.com