Passionate in using strategy, innovation, training, and coaching to help organisations, teams, and individuals to maximise their potential. Enthused by defining and shaping the future with others to find ways to create and capture value.Experience of innovating in many markets and technologies; coupled with a talent for synthesising information across multiple domains I can identify profitable ideas and find ways to solve “impossible” problems.Specialties: Systems Thinking, Training and competence development, Strategic innovation and procurement programs, Customer focussed innovation, workshop facilitation, contract negotiation, Best practice dissemination, Collaborative new product development, Managing intellectual property, Innovation systems, Creating and selecting winning ideas
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Independent ConsultantSelf-Employed Apr 2024 - PresentWorking as an independent consultant, helping clients drive their innovation agendas, developing strategy, accessing funds, navigating public procurement law, using intellectual property
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Guest LecturerUcl Jan 2024 - PresentCreating and delivering content on Systems Thinking for Transport Innovation -
Guest LecturerCranfield University Jun 2023 - PresentCreating and delivering content on Systems Thinking for Innovation and Technology Roadmapping -
Strategy Board MemberUk National Digital Twin Programme Jul 2022 - PresentWorking with other senior and thought leaders from various public and private sector roles to steer and shape uk work to develop the UKs national digital twin and its supporting business and data ecosystemshttps://digitaltwinhub.co.uk
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Technology And Innovation Manager - OperationsNetwork Rail May 2020 - Mar 2024Recognised Innovation thought leader within Network Rail and GBRTTProcured the largest change in rail demand forecasting since 1970s, commissioning the first telecoms and data science based demand forecasting toolEstablished a strategic procurement led research and innovation function using technology road mapping to secure key knowledge and capability at high leverage Built collaborative relationships across the private sector, UKRI, DfT, Local Government and non-departmental… Show more Recognised Innovation thought leader within Network Rail and GBRTTProcured the largest change in rail demand forecasting since 1970s, commissioning the first telecoms and data science based demand forecasting toolEstablished a strategic procurement led research and innovation function using technology road mapping to secure key knowledge and capability at high leverage Built collaborative relationships across the private sector, UKRI, DfT, Local Government and non-departmental bodies, influencing strategy, policy and fundingPrimary strategic planner for £100M Rail industry Systems Operator Development Programmes and key contributor to Rail Technical Strategy and integrated R&D PlanDesigned and delivered training to Workforce and Graduate Innovation Programmes Show less -
Innovation Manager - Whole System ModellingNetwork Rail Jan 2018 - May 2020Milton Keynes, United KingdomDevising the vision, strategy and development roadmaps to transform Network Rails modelling and simulation capabilities. Establishing enterprise architecture & requirements engineering functions. Established use of procurement mechanisms via InnovateUK and Connected Places Catapult; opening new, legally compliant means to source innovative solutionsFacilitated collaborative thought leadership for wider strategic programmes involving RDG, Train Operators, and DfT securing positive outcomes… Show more Devising the vision, strategy and development roadmaps to transform Network Rails modelling and simulation capabilities. Establishing enterprise architecture & requirements engineering functions. Established use of procurement mechanisms via InnovateUK and Connected Places Catapult; opening new, legally compliant means to source innovative solutionsFacilitated collaborative thought leadership for wider strategic programmes involving RDG, Train Operators, and DfT securing positive outcomes and excellent feedback Show less -
Innovation Support ManagerNetwork Rail Apr 2012 - Jan 2018Milton Keynes, United KingdomHelping move rail into the 21st century. Governing seedcorn funds, scouting technologies, contributing to technical strategy, building innovation systems, challenging accepted wisdom, building the business case for making change.
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Innovation Manager / Innovation ConsultantPera Jan 2009 - Mar 2013- Customer Facing Work - Facilitated workshops with business leaders in Europe and Middle East including: Innovation strategy creation; Trend analysis; Product ideas creation and development planning; Inventing beyond current IP. Leading to £10M p.a. of further business.Secured orders worth £205,000 leading to a further £1.2M of development work. Supported business developers in conversion of a further £200,000 of ordersWorked with small and large enterprises to implement:… Show more - Customer Facing Work - Facilitated workshops with business leaders in Europe and Middle East including: Innovation strategy creation; Trend analysis; Product ideas creation and development planning; Inventing beyond current IP. Leading to £10M p.a. of further business.Secured orders worth £205,000 leading to a further £1.2M of development work. Supported business developers in conversion of a further £200,000 of ordersWorked with small and large enterprises to implement: Innovation strategy creation; Ideas generation; New product development planning; Portfolio management; Technology transfer. Leading annually to further work worth £10 Million on averageManaged customer relationships from order through delivery and repeat order.Managed delivery of customer innovation projects using multidisciplinary teams including external consultants and contractors - Designing Services and Building Capacity - Creating & implementing new services, designing customer journey and delivery processes, piloting and refining, creating delivery schedules, resource planning, delivery collateral, building resource libraries. training delivery teamsIdentifying and importing best practice, making use of Neuro Linguistic Programming, Spiral Dynamics, TRIZ, Blue Ocean Strategy, TrenDNA and other techniquesCreated and delivered training, leading to more than £7000 revenue benefit per person day of training in 2011 - Change Agency - Planned & co-ordinated business change program including consultation and vision creation activities; diagnosis, solution definition and implementation planning.Coached business leaders through implementation to improve performance and help solve difficult challenges.Facilitated dialogue between departments to help them build understanding and redefine business processes Show less -
Key Knowledge HolderPera Jan 2007 - Jan 2009Collected best practise and created formal procedures and tools, building commitment to new methods then disseminating them across the business. Designed, managed and implemented training program for core bid writing and client liaison skills across UK and European offices. Delivered training and provided support services to existing and new business units. -
Lead Writer & Innovation ConsultantPera Jan 2006 - Jan 2007Mentored team of writers to deliver proposals for public funding on behalf of clients, Took responsibility for Customer facing activities including sales support and project specification, working with Customer’s senior management to develop new product ideas suited to their business and meeting the criteria for accessing public funds. -
Business Case Writer & InnovatorPera Feb 2005 - Jan 2006Market led New Product Development - Working with clients to create ideas for new product offerings. Creating business cases and writing bids to obtain public funding for R&D. Planning development programs; Setting budgets; Recruiting business and research partners, negotiating contracts. Secured in excess of £3 Million of public funds -
Logistics & Procurement ExpeditorOmron Automotive Electronics Sep 2004 - Feb 2005Introduced Kanban systems, streamlined import management methods, rationalised component sourcing
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TeacherSwanshurst School 2003 - 2004Taught Science and ICT at this highly regarded specialist science college
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Postdoctoral ResearcherUniversity Of Wales, Swansea 2001 - 2002Undertaking cystallographic research into the fracture behaviour of boiler plate steels
Ben Ford Education Details
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Digital Transformation -
Professional Guild Of Nlp - Beyond PartnerhsipPractitioner -
Systematic Innovation - Darrell MannInventive Problem Solving - Triz And Its Successors -
Aerospace Materials -
Power And Aerospace Engineering -
Materials Engineering
Frequently Asked Questions about Ben Ford
What company does Ben Ford work for?
Ben Ford works for Ucl
What is Ben Ford's role at the current company?
Ben Ford's current role is Strategy & Innovation with a Systems Approach.
What schools did Ben Ford attend?
Ben Ford attended Insead, Cranfield University, Professional Guild Of Nlp - Beyond Partnerhsip, Systematic Innovation - Darrell Mann, Swansea University, Swansea University, Swansea University.
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