The Innovation Crowd is dedicated to helping leaders deliver more value from corporate innovation and AI.
The podcast for leaders in energy, utilities and infrastructure who want AI and digital to pay off, not just look busy.
Helen Dawson talks to the people doing the work — execs, engineers, operators — about which bets turned out to be real, which didn’t, and what they learned the hard way.
Short solo episodes under The Hard Part banner take one live AI adoption question and answer it straight.
Unlock the future today – tune in to The Innovation Crowd!
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9 Dec 2022
The Innovation Crowd with Helen Dawson (Trailer)
This podcast is dedicated to helping leaders deliver more value from corporate innovation. It’s a place…
52 secs
11 Dec 2022
Episode 1 – Creating Scenarios for the Future with Jeff Roberts
Jeff Roberts from Jump Innovation’s Futures team (Dive Without Fear) discusses avoiding linearity and hype cycles.
37 mins
11 Dec 2022
Episode 2 – Life in a Corporate Start-Up with Tim Bennett from Shell TapUp
Tim Bennett joins us to give a flavour of life leading Shell’s mobile refuelling business (TapUp) in the UK
32 mins
11 Dec 2022
Episode 3 – Building Ecosystems and Partnering with Mark Evans-Smith
Mark Evans-Smith of Bear & Brute Consulting joins us to talk about building ecosystems within Rolls…
42 mins
9 Jan 2023
Episode 4 – Innovation’s not a Tech Problem. It’s a People & Culture…
Elizabeth O’Neill joins us to explain why corporate innovation is not a tech problem but a people and…
32 mins
23 Jan 2023
Episode 5 – All Boats Have to Rise, talking collaboration with…
Andrew Webber from tech & innovation company Whitespace pulls on his years of experience…
41 mins
6 Feb 2023
Episode 6 – The Power of The Crowd with Richard Holdsworth
Richard Holdsworth of V-Box joins us to talk about ways in which collaboration across the maritime…
35 mins
20 Feb 2023
Episode 7 – Leading at the Edges with Neel Arya
Neel Arya, founder of Mettle Consulting, and Helen discuss the attributes needed by today’s leaders, operating at the limits of their organisational…
42 mins
6 Mar 2023
Episode 8 – Curiosity & Harvesting Ideas with Nils Jeners
In this episode, Nils Jeners joins Helen to dive into methodology and how to build the skills needed to…
30 mins
20 Mar 2023
Episode 9 – Innovation and the IKEA effect with Warren Minde
In this episode, Helen talks to Warren Minde of Innovation Leap about innovation as a human-centred…
40 mins
15 May 2023
Episode 10 – Customer-led Digital Transformation in…
Group Marketing Director of Specsavers, Carolyn McKeever, join us to talk about: How to transform…
44 mins
6 Nov 2024
S2 E1 – Partners & Pitfalls: Win-Win Joint Ventures with Emma Blackley
Emma Blackley on why partnerships fail, and the planning, clear goals and honest communication that make joint ventures work for both sides.
41 mins
20 Nov 2024
S2 E2 – Digital Twins & Dynamic Wins with David Ayeni
David Ayeni of Bentley Systems on digital twins, data quality, and why contractors and owner-operators must collaborate for real digital outcomes.
40 mins
9 Dec 2024
S2 E3 – Super Useful Super Brands with William Lidstone
Chief Growth Officer William Lidstone on brands that earn a meaningful role in customers’ lives, lessons from McDonald’s, and winning by an inch.
33 mins
7 Jan 2025
S2 E4 – Innovation’s Not Inherently Risky with Dan & Rebecca from RapidWorks
Dan and Rebecca on corporate venture building, celebrating stop decisions, and measuring innovation by more than revenue.
38 mins
21 Jan 2025
S2 E5 – Born Digital with Matthew Treagus
Matthew Treagus on leading digital-first transformation, understanding customer context, and why the product owner role has to evolve.
44 mins
5 Feb 2025
S2 E6 – Shin Kickers and Staircase Scaling with Neill Pawsey
Neill Pawsey of Cohesive on digital tools in capital mega-projects, starting with the end in mind, and why the people side of change is hardest.
49 mins
19 Feb 2025
S2 E7 – AI and Automation: The Future of Energy with Glen Milne
Glen Milne of Spirit Energy on digitalisation and AI in energy, building a culture that treats failure as learning, and why domain expertise still matters.
32 mins
11 Jun 2026
S2 E8 – A Hammer Doesn’t Make Everything a Nail with Lucy Scott Brown
Lucy Scott Brown on what great product management looks like, and where blockchain is genuinely useful rather than fashionable.
30 mins
29 Jun 2026
S3 E1 – When You Pull the Lever and It Comes Off in Your Hand Graham Young
After 25 years at Shell, Graham Young jumped to Harbour Energy and found the levers he was used to pulling weren’t connected to anything.
35 mins
6 Jul 2026
The Hard Part: The Pope’s Unexpected Take on AI
Helen reads the Vatican’s document on AI and human dignity, and finds it says the thing most CEOs are paying consultants to dance around.
16 mins
13 Jul 2026
S3 E2 – Your Sales Proposals Are Probably Rubbish: the 7-Step Fix with Sandie Essemann
Helen and Sandie Essemann on proposals that speak the buyer’s language, pinpoint the real problem, and show what good looks like.
39 mins
20 Jul 2026
The Hard Part: The First AI Decision on Andy Burnham’s Desk
Key AI decisions for government and business leaders: AI as an ingredient in a bigger solution, and outcomes over technology buzzwords.
18 mins