Karlsen Associates is engaged when the stakes are high, the context complex, and failure is not an option. We help boards, governments, and investors turn strategic ambition into delivered capability—across aerospace, defence, space, and dual-use technologies.
We combine board-level judgement, entrepreneurial drive, and disciplined hands-on execution, operating seamlessly from strategy through delivery. The result is faster decisions, reduced execution risk, and outcomes that stand up to political, contractual, and national-interest scrutiny.
Hans Karlsen is the CEO of Karlsen Associates and a board and government advisor with over 30 years’ experience delivering strategic outcomes across aerospace, defence, space, and dual-use technologies. He advises boards, governments, and investors on technology commercialisation, sovereign capability development, and mission-critical delivery—bringing deep technical and geopolitical judgement together with proven entrepreneurial drive to high-stakes environments where failure is not an option.
A Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and an MBA-qualified Chartered Engineer, Hans has advised the UK Government and Ministry of Defence, the European Union, private equity and financial institutions, and national programmes across Europe and the Middle East.
His track record includes leadership of major aerospace and defence design and manufacturing programmes, delivery of flight-critical operational systems for commercial aviation, a pivotal role in the creation and scaling of a multi-billion-dollar global aeronautical satcom industry, the commercialisation of flight-critical technologies, and the founding and growth of technology ventures.
With his entrepreneurial drive and execution accountability, Hans is trusted to mobilise people, capital, and capability to deliver outcomes on time, turning strategic intent into delivered operational advantage—particularly where risk, complexity, and national interest converge.
Recent Projects
- Led investor and commercial due diligence on a global satcom procurement and launch programme, enabling major capital allocation by ING and international banks.
- Advised a Middle Eastern government on establishing a sovereign aerospace manufacturing capability and shaping national industrial policy.
- Led development and commercialisation of advanced airborne satcom systems, delivering mission-critical capability to the United Nations, NGOs, and global military and civil operators.
- Directed technical due diligence for a global satcom operator, de-risking a $6bn private equity acquisition.
- partnership with Thuraya (UAE) to deploy a nationwide satcom-UHF network
- Senior Advisor to the UK Government, shaping procurement strategy for a next-generation military satcom system.
- Led a UK Governmnet assessment of the UK Aviation & Space MRO sector, informing government industrial strategy and investment priorities.
We are a Member Of the UK Space Trade organisation promoting space jointly with ADS and techUK
