Future Cities Catapult Case Study

Future Cities Catapult, a global centre of excellence in urban innovation

Background

The Future Cities Catapult is a global centre of excellence whose focus is on city innovation. The Catapult brings together business, academia, innovators and cities to help UK businesses create high value, cutting edge solutions and sell them to the world.

As an independent member of a network of seven world-leading technology and innovation centres, the Catapult will help British business to transform ideas into new products and services. The UK is well placed to sell its expertise and innovation globally, but the infrastructure is not quite coalescing and collaboration is not yet bringing the best out of a rich diversity, a talent and experience. With more than £150m investment over the next few years, the centre will enable a joined-up citywide approach to urban regeneration and innovation.

Based in London, the Catapult will be the world’s best centre on urban systems. With a cutting edge city simulator it will be a magnet for entrepreneurs, developers and academics to test and prove their ideas, build collaborative partnerships and secure new markets for innovative products and services that meet the future needs of the world’s cities.

Veredus first engaged with the Catapult when the first board members had been appointed and they were ready to start recruiting the top team to be made up of five Executive Directors.

www.veredus.co.uk

CEO

Future Cities Catapult

Peter Madden

Executive Director

Futures & Best Practice

Executive Director

Innovation & The Lab

Executive Director

Integrated City Systems

Executive Director

Strategy, BusinessDevelopment and Communications

Executive Director

Corporate Services

Future Cities Catapult Case Study

Hiring the Senior Leadership Team

The Catpault engaged with us to hire a world-class team whose collaborative goals would be to establish, develop, implement and manage an ambitious, high profile and highly strategic initiative.

We set about to find a team who would complement the Chief Executive’s unrivalled track record on sustainability issues, a team who would come together in the start-up phase and collectively form a competitive, intellectually driven, innovative and decisive group which would ensure delivery and embrace diversity.

We were tasked with creating a balanced team of equals, bringing between them informed international thinking and the full breadth and range of professional skills.

www.veredus.co.uk

The Roles and Their Goals

The Executive Director Corporate Services will cover all the underpinning services that the Catapult needs to function effectively ensuring robust and proper management and delivery of Finance, IT, HR and Office Administrative Services.

The Executive Director Innovation and The Lab will run ground-breaking urban innovation processes that generate the products and services cities need, including 3-6 exportable innovations that gain a high profile. They will provide international thought leadership on urban innovation and design, set up and run a unique city Lab which attracts clients and collaborators from around the world.

The Executive Director Strategy, Business Development and Communications will develop the Catapult into the number one global brand in its space, positioned to continue to grow and prosper, and to ensure it hits the organisation-wide business development goal of £10m a year additional income by year 4.

The Executive Director Futures and Best Practice will run globally impactful futures processes that engage stakeholders, change organisational practice and generate commitment to work with the centre. They will produce a stream of marketable products, services and design, set up and run a best practice programme that persuades cities to invest in integrated city-services.

The Executive Director Integrates Services will enable and grow the market for integrated city services through innovating financial, legal and procurement solutions that overcome barriers. They will support high-growth SMEs scale up the Catapult’s offering and build the reputation and capacity of the UK business ecosystem to be the world leader in integrated city services.

Future Cities Catapult Case Study

The Challenge and How We Managed The Process

We followed a process called ‘A Method for Hiring’ as per the client’s request having used it successfully previously. Having studied the book, we felt there was a considerable degree of commonality with Veredus’ usual methodology, and felt confident we could offer a high quality programme closely aligned to the principles that our client was requesting.

We carried out a global advertising campaign which attracted a number of strong candidates. Veredus and the Catapult worked collaboratively to use relevant social media tools including the Catapult’s LinkedIn and Twitter profiles and adverts.

Throughout the process, Veredus acted as extensions of the Catapult’s team by approaching their existing network as both sources of ideas as well as potential targets. We then provided independent advice and support to individuals known to the Catapult. At such a sensitive and exciting time for the Catapult, we were sure to treat individuals with both sensitivity and professionalism whilst ensuring fairness and transparency in accordance with best practice guidelines.

In tandem with the sourcing activity and advertising campaign, Veredus undertook a thorough and targeted research programme which was successful in generating suitable individuals with the skills and behaviours agreed at the beginning of the process.

www.veredus.co.uk

Results

We have successfully appointed all five Executive Directors, the majority of whom will take up their positions in early 2014 and are very excited about the journey they are about to commence. Veredus has thoroughly enjoyed working closely with the Catapult over the last three months and will continue to provide ongoing support as the appointed Executive Directors take up their positions, and indeed hopes to be influential in sourcing further individuals as the Catapult ramps up in 2014. It has been a great experience and one which has resulted in hiring a world class and diverse management team including appointees from both the public and private sector domestically and internationally, as well as academics from around the world. Aaron Webster, Director of Energy, Manufacturing & Infrastructure at Veredus commented that “It has been a long time since I have worked with an organisation with such a dynamic, intriguing and challenging remit as the Future Cities Catapult. The vision of the organisation, the space in which it operates and the world class team that is now in place make it a hugely exciting and inspiring centre. I look forward in anticipation to the impact and innovations it helps create.”

To discuss your recruitment requirements, please contact Aaron Webster, Director,Head of Energy, Manufacturing and Infrastructure on:

+44 (0) 7703 470 770

aaron.webster@veredus.co.uk