.webp)
Company-X has appointed former New Zealand Defence Force simulation lead Nick Davey to support the expansion of its defence training technology in New Zealand and overseas. He joins after 40 years in the Royal New Zealand Navy.
Most recently, Davey served as Maritime Simulation Program Manager in the NZDF Capability Branch, where he worked with Company-X on a multiplayer virtual reality diver rescue training project for the navy.
The programme was described as a first for the NZDF and later helped Company-X secure an innovation award at the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence.
Davey's background is in combat and communication systems engineering, and his experience in military training and programme delivery is expected to support the company's work on simulation products for defence customers.
Jeremy Hughes, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Company-X, said the appointment strengthens the link between the company's technical work and operational experience from inside the defence force.
"Nick's appointment helps us improve the readiness of New Zealand's defence personnel," Hughes said.
"He brings four decades of maritime experience and understands not only what defence forces need from simulation technology, but how that technology needs to operate in the real world."
Broader push
The appointment comes as Company-X looks to extend its work beyond naval use cases into other branches of the military.
Hughes said the company had already shown what locally developed simulation tools could do in the navy and now saw scope to apply that work more widely.
"We're seeing growing recognition internationally of what is coming out of New Zealand in simulation, and feedback from our conversations in Europe has been that the capability is genuinely world class," he said.
Davey said the near-term opportunity lay in applying lessons from the navy to the army and air force.
"I've seen the role simulation can play in improving safety and readiness while reducing training costs. The obvious next step is doing for the Air Force and Army what Company-X has already demonstrated with the Navy."
His comments reflect a wider shift in defence training, as armed forces increasingly use digital and simulated environments to prepare personnel while managing cost, safety and access to equipment.
For New Zealand companies in the sector, that also creates a path into allied defence markets seeking training systems that can be deployed across multiple services.
International interest
Company-X said Davey would also help shape further research and development tied to training needs emerging in defence forces outside New Zealand.
That international focus has featured in the company's recent defence work. In 2025, it signed an agreement with Babcock International Group to support the development and visibility of New Zealand-made simulation, training, evaluation and testing technology in allied defence settings.
Davey said many of the pressures facing New Zealand's military were shared by overseas partners.
"But the opportunity is bigger than New Zealand. Allied defence forces are grappling with many of the same challenges around readiness, safety, cost and the ability to deliver sophisticated training at scale. New Zealand has genuine expertise in this space, and we should be ambitious about where we can take it."
Before joining Company-X, Davey spent four decades in the Royal New Zealand Navy, with experience across operational, technical and programme roles. That background is likely to matter as defence customers assess not only the software itself, but also how training systems fit established planning, logistics and assessment processes.
Simulation has become a more prominent part of military preparation because it allows personnel to rehearse complex or hazardous scenarios without the same demands on ships, aircraft, live ammunition or specialist facilities. The diver rescue project cited by Company-X is one example of how immersive systems are being introduced into niche training areas that would otherwise be difficult or expensive to replicate repeatedly.
Bringing in a former NZDF simulation manager also gives Company-X someone who has worked on the customer side of defence procurement and delivery. That can help when products need to align with service requirements, operational constraints and measures of training effectiveness.
"For me, joining Company-X is an opportunity to take what we've learned and achieved with the Navy and ask: where else can we make a difference?" Davey said.