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A new figurehead for the Maritime Reserves
26 June 2026
After three years at the helm, Commodore Jo Adey ADC has relinquished command of the Maritime Reserves to Commodore Suzi Nielsen OBE ADC.
Cdre Adey assumed command in the post-Covid era, and, in her tenure, the Strategic Defence Review was published emphasising the importance of the Reserve Forces, setting recommendations to grow the Active Reserve, and defining how the Reserves will help achieve defence of the Homeland in crisis or conflict.
Overseeing a steady process to increase professionalism and Whole Force alignment, the Maritime Reserves has grown in scope and strength over the last 3 years and has integrated parts of the wider Naval community. Most recently this saw the University Royal Navy Units brought under her Command, recognising the overlapping and complementary aspects of the two organisations. During her appointment, the Reserves also overhauled its Professions and Specialisations, better matching Reservist skills with changing demands from functional employers, growing access to new skills required for a Hybrid Navy, and increasing transferability between Service types to support the move to a skills-based Royal Navy.
Cdre Adey also led an administrative overhaul that has driven the creation of better policy, modernised terms and conditions of service, and digitalised the administrative backbone of the organisation. This has helped improve the lived experienced of Reservists, supported growth, and future-proofed the organisation for the next generation.
Speaking at her supersession aboard HMS Victory, Cdre Adey said she “was incredibly proud of the Maritime Reserves, and the impact they have both on operations and in connecting the RN with society,” before saying she took “tremendous pleasure in meeting Reservists across the country, at sea, and on operations, and will miss the variety and challenge of the role.”
Cdre Adey’s journey does not end here. Having started her career as a Reservist at HMS Calliope before transferring into Regular service more than 20 years ago, she will be making a seamless transfer back to the Royal Naval Reserve to take up her next role as Deputy Director Reserves at the Cyber and Specialist Operations Command (CSOC).
Cdre Nielsen, has also enjoyed a zig-zag career, having been a Reservist at HMS Flying Fox in Bristol before joining the Royal Navy. She said “I’m hugely excited and privileged to be the next Commander Maritime Reserves and look forward to meeting the extraordinary people who volunteer to serve alongside their demanding civilian careers.
I would like to offer my sincere gratitude to Cdre Jo for the outstanding work she has driven forward to ensure our highly skilled reservists are considered at every point of capability development. She has been a fantastic role model and advocate for the Maritime Reserves, and I am hugely grateful for all the extraordinary work she has delivered with her team. I wish her and her husband Richard the very best of luck as they embark on their next chapter together.
As I look forward, there are many opportunities to build on Cdre Jo’s legacy, but my priority is simple: continue to develop a Reserve force that is agile, highly skilled, deployable and fully integrated with the wider Navy and one that is ready to deliver warfighting readiness by 2029. Through our shared purpose and commitment, we can deliver what Defence requires of us whilst ensuring that every reservist feels valued, challenged, and operationally relevant.”