An Interview with Susan Bowen, CEO, Digital Catapult | Introduced by Odgers

'Introduced by Odgers' features exceptional individuals appointed to prestigious leadership positions globally, demonstrating our strong client partnerships across various industries and sectors.

Mike Drew, Global Head of our Technology & IT Services Practice, joined Susan to discuss her organisational and stakeholder influence, and her top three tips for leadership success.

How will your leadership influence your company and its wider stakeholders?

When I joined Digital Catapult, it was clear the company needed to re-establish themselves in a way where, as a part of the Catapult Network, it is seen as the connector between R&D, academia and commercialisation for Digital Innovation services direct within some industries such as Digital Infrastructure & Creative then working in conjunction with other Catapults for sectors such as Transport, Energy, Manufacturing and Health.

I believe my leadership style is transformative. 

like our main funders such as Innovate UK, our industry partners, government departments in conjunction with academia, including universities to develop early translation of Research and Development (R&D) capabilities.

There’s also a huge alumni network of start-ups and scale-ups across the UK - some that have succeeded, some that have failed and are trying again. I see my role as helping the organisation identify how we stay relevant - not just today, but over the next three to five years - and then enabling us to move in that direction.

For me, it’s not just about saying where we need to go; it’s about co-creating that vision with the team, setting a clear line of sight, and then moving towards it. I also recognise that change isn’t easy, so it’s important to lead that journey in a positive and supportive way.

Watch Susan outline her top three approaches to successful leadership: 

What are your top three tips for success in leadership?

1. Adaptability. Make sure you can respond in a calm and focused manner to anything that comes your way and be able to break it down and handle it in the most appropriate manner. Be adaptable to a fast paced, constantly changing world.
2. Authenticity. You're only ever good at being You, so you need to make sure that you're coming to the table as yourself and managing the way that you handle people in the most authentic way.
3. Attitude. The ability to show up with the right attitude and focus on where you're going is critical.

Introduced by Odgers | Success Story 

Odgers partnered with Digital Catapult to identify a transformative CEO, with Susan Bowen commencing her role in March 2024.

To discover more about Susan’s attraction to the role, her future goals as CEO, and her journey with Odgers, read her individual success story below. 

Introduced by Odgers | Susan Bowen Success Story

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