Martin Harper

Uk Innovation Lead @Avanade

London, GB

I work with our Chief Technology & Innovation Officer to develop Avanade’s vision for innovation across the UK & Ireland.I have dual responsibility for both bringing the latest research, thought-leadership and emerging technology to clients, as well as shaping our own internal culture of innovation at Avanade.I work closely with our Marketing team to deliver exceptional campaigns and events for our clients. I regularly collaborate with colleagues in global functions to develop innovation-centered training programs for our people and feed into how we can disrupt our own ways of working.A large part of my role involves taking executive teams through interactive workshops to help them understand the value of technology and new ways of thinking about their business. I pride myself on providing a platform for creative blue-sky thinking, whilst keeping solutions grounded in the strategic priorities of company leadership.I provide bespoke programs for our clients, advising them on innovation developments, scoping proof of concept projects and training their teams on topics such as innovation strategy, practical design exercises and sustainability.More recently I have taken on responsibility for developing partnerships with start-up and academic organizations to better shape Avanade’s vision of innovation globally, as well as increasing our profile in these communities for the purposes of talent acquisition and research.Inherent to my role is the need to react quickly to market developments, propose creative ideas that are relevant to the priorities of different business units and craft business cases for investment.

University of Bristol

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Classical Studies & Philosophy