Steve Donaghy
Innovation and Transformation Director
incl. Interim, Advisory, Fractional
With 35 years in global technology services delivering major transformations, and 20 years working across hundreds of innovation strategies, I help Chief Innovation Officers and R&D Directors in global organisations ensure their innovation activities deliver real, sizeable impact in line with strategic goals
Innovation strategy could deliver more, faster?
I will share learnings from hundreds of innovation strategies
Innovation governance slowing down decisions?
An external review can often add new insights
Selecting the ideas with greatest return frustrating?
I will share my focus on market validation methods
Delivery to market taking too long?
I bring a history of fast implementations to innovation delivery
Initial Consultation
During a free, confidential, no-commitment consultation we can discuss how my experience may help you and you organisation.
“No-one else in Europe could have delivered in these timeframes”
Innovation Strategy
A decade implementing Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s Global Innovation Framework across its 400 largest global accounts gave me deep, practical insight into how the strongest innovation strategies deliver real transformation. From clear direction on what role innovation will play supporting the organisations goals through to communications and measurable outcomes, I will share what I have learned over the years on what makes strong innovation strategies deliver real value.
Governance
My reviews start with an initial consultation on your aims. Reviews typically include innovation’s role in strategy, organisational alignment, clarity of message, speed to strongest decisions, selecting the ideas most likely to deliver, measurability of outcomes, accountability, continuous assessment and improvement, and embedding a culture of informed-innovation across the whole organisation, to name a few key areas. We can discuss the strongest practices I have worked with across hundreds of innovation strategies. All reviews and outcomes will be guided by your objectives.
Selection
Selection is one of the hardest and most important parts of innovation. Most organisations do not struggle because they lack ideas. They struggle because too many initiatives move forward without enough challenge, weak bets are not stopped early enough, and validation happens too late. I help organisations improve how opportunities are assessed, prioritised, challenged, and de-selected, so resources are focused where the probability of success is strongest.
My work in this area has included improving R&D selection processes, strengthening strategic alignment, shortening decision chains, and encouraging earlier client engagement and validation. In practice, these changes can materially improve portfolio quality, support stronger new business development, and increase the likelihood that innovation investment produces measurable returns rather than scattered activity.
help innovation leaders improve selection and validation so investment is focused on the opportunities most likely to deliver meaningful return.
Delivery
Innovation only creates value when it can survive implementation. Many good ideas fail not because the idea was weak, but because delivery capability, risk, pace, sponsorship, or organisational readiness were not considered early enough. I help organisations strengthen the line of sight from innovation strategy into execution, so decisions about where to invest are made with a clearer understanding of what successful delivery will require.
My perspective here is shaped by major national and international transformation programmes, including award-winning public sector implementations and the recovery of a critical $300 million European transformation programme. That delivery background is one of the things that differentiates my work. It means I do not treat innovation as a standalone creative exercise. I help leaders make innovation choices that are more grounded, more executable, and more likely to deliver real results.
London based, available globally; on-site or remote as desired; availability includes short-term, advisory, interim or fractional roles.
Contact via LinkedIn or email, or book a free consultation; or if you prefer to use the form or to leave a number, I will call you back as soon as possible.
Confidential, no-commitment consultation
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