Meet our Team

Zena Cox
Operations Director

I have been involved with ideasUK for over eight years, joining as a member when launching an idea programme within my previous organisation, taking the formal role as operations director in 2016.

Before coming to the world of innovation, my background is based within the commercial sector of pharmaceuticals with experience in management, change management, sigma project management and communications in addition to my experience in the field of innovation.

I have a particular interest in how ideas management can be used to really engage employees, gaining business advantage as a result and enjoy supporting organisations to maximise their innovation programmes.

My shoes – Quirky and unique, yet still practical

Andy Beddows
Chairman ideasUK

Andy has been the Chairman of ideasUK for most of the last 26 years. He is now in effect the ‘Custodian of the Brand’ and, whilst no longer a regular spokesman, he continues as an active influence behind the scenes ensuring that the best practitioners of today have the means to keep ideasUK in the forefront of supporting tomorrows innovation and recognition managers.

My shoes are smart, practical and offer continued support, much like their owner!

Stuart Laws
HOCS D-Innovation-Ideas, MOD and Deputy Chairman ideasUK

Stuart joined the MoD in 1990, and has enjoyed a varied career to date and since moving to a Head Office based role in 2005 he has been involved with key improvement and engagement programmes and initiatives. Since 2012 Stuart has been solely responsible for the MoD’s Idea Scheme (GEMS), working with internal and external partners to drive improvements and enhancements in support of greater benefit for individuals and the business.

With over 16 years’ experience of designing and delivering ICT projects within Defence, Stuart has a unique combination of knowledge and experience which he uses to help others deliver projects in support of Defence Innovation.

My shoes – Best for high jinks in the country side

Alan Firmin
Head of HR & Talent - UK Engineering

I have extensive experience of implementing and managing a large ideas programme in a corporate environment within a number of blue chip organisations. I am currently Head of HR for the UK Engineering Function within Thales UK. Within this role, alongside the Leadership Team I am responsible for creating an innovative environment for our engineers to develop, design and build world class products for our customers. My particular area of expertise is in the area of Reward, Recognition and Employee Engagement and through my varied experiences, I am able to support ideasUK members to achieve their potential.

In my spare time I like to relax in the open air, with my family, hence the flip flops.

Geoff Hill
Owner Fastlane Displays and ideasUK Director

Has been associated with ideasUK for over 25 years, spending 15 years as one of our independent judges for the Idea of the Year competition. He started his career as a tool maker, progressing through the drawing office, research and development and into engineering. In 1989 he founded Fastlane Displays Ltd, an exhibition company. Whilst officially retired, Geoff still remains active in both Fastlane and ideasUK, receiving an Honorary Fellowship and becoming a director of ideasUK in 2015.

As for shoes, these days I am working one day and enjoying retirement the next!

Jayne Garner
Continuous Improvement Engagement Coordinator, Ricoh UK Products Ltd

I started working for Ricoh November 1990, and have worked in many departments in 2007 I became the Continuous Improvements Coordinator, supporting and encouraging employees to engage in Ricoh’s Continuous Improvement Programmes. I am the owner of the very successful RPL Together Suggestion Scheme which has achieved numerous Platinum Awards. I have a passion for innovation which benefits the business, but more importantly benefits the employees. Recognition is paramount at Ricoh and the best part of my job is having Senior Managers come to the Gemba (workplace) to personally recognise employee’s participation in making improvements.

My shoes make me feel like I am walking on air no matter how long I wear them

Melissa Dutton
Home Office, UK

In 2018, after ten years spent managing the platinum-accredited Home Office staff ideas scheme, All Ideas Matter, I transitioned into a new role in Customer Improvement. Recognising the importance of staff ideas to drive customer improvement, I am staying closely affiliated with the programme.

I’ve been on the IdeasUK Advisory Board for six years and I’m keen for that to continue so I’m able to keep abreast of trends and best practice in the Improvement world and share my experience.

My shoes – Tan is my colour, always stylish and never dates

Sheila Walker
Idea Lab Lead, Direct Line Group

I have worked for Direct Line Group for 28 years (I started when I was 5!) in a variety of roles from customer facing sales and team leader to Employee Relations Consultant and most recently, I own and manage our Innovation platform, Idea Lab. This role has given me the opportunity to build engagement with colleagues at all levels across our business and work on developing and implementing ideas from the simplest improvements to our employee and customer experience to complex process changes that impact people at all levels.

My role continues to be exciting, challenging and ever evolving, seeking new and different ways to improve engagement and ensure the Idea Lab delivers benefit to everyone at DLG and beyond.

My shoes are classy, vibrant, look and feel good and give me a real confidence boost.

Michael Davies
Head of UK Idea Management, HSBC UK Plc

I have 20 years’ experience within Idea Management and Innovation, and feel strongly that by harnessing the experience and innovation of our colleagues within the workplace companies can go from strength to strength with an engaged workforce. With global responsibility for Idea Management within HSBC, I have seen first-hand how great an impact it can have to someone’s confidence to have their idea taken on-board. I have experience in mentoring both up and down, and have the ability to influence senior management to the benefits bottom-up innovation can have on their organisation.

My shoes say cool, calm and collected and just like their owner are a little bit mischievous and just a little sexy.

Tammy Holmes
Innovation and Adoption Programme Manager, West Midlands Academic Health Science Network

I have worked in the NHS for 17 years in numerous admin and clinical support roles and have a real passion for creativity and change. Currently, I work for the WMAHSN managing our Meridian Innovation Health Exchange. Meridian has been specially designed to support the West Midlands’ innovation ecosystem, assisting NHS, academia, commercial and industry stakeholders and supporting a collaborative approach to resolving clinical and service challenges to build a region-wide innovation culture.

I enjoy the outdoors and embrace a challenge from kayaking to muddy walks hence the boots.

Hussain Al Fardan
Head of Innovation Centre, Strategy & Corporate Excellence, Dubai Customs

Hussain has over 20 years of experience in employee engagement, Innovation and Business Improvement with proven interpersonal and leadership skills. He is experienced in all aspects of Innovation both internal and external within the organisation, with demonstrable success in Building Innovation Culture within a Governmental environment. Hussain has developed and delivered an innovation culture method that is now used by many government departments across the UAE to develop employee driven creativity and manage continuous improvement. Hussain is also the Head of the Innovation Centre in Dubai Customs and the Chairman of Ideas Arabia and Ideas Emirates.

Chris Bolton
Good Practice Manager

I’m the Good Practice Manager at the Wales Audit Office where I’m involved in helping to improve public services through knowledge transfer and behaviour change. This covers the whole of Wales and the diverse range of public service and third sector organisations that work here.
I’ve been involved in this type of work for over 20 years, helping to develop good relationships based upon trust and understanding which in turn support the knowledge, learning and innovation flow.
I’ve been connected to ideasUK for almost 10 years and find it a constant source of inspiration from the people I meet and the learning I can take back to Wales.

Shoes:
These are my muddy dog walking boots. I’ve picked them because I use them every day, rain or shine. They represent the place where I have my best ideas. Time out walking the dog is where I make sense of often complicated information and lots of key things fall into place.

Rachel Margerum
Innovation & Continual Improvement Manager

I am an experienced Learning and Development Manager, who has an extensive experience developing the professional abilities of employees at all levels. I am currently working at Abellio Greater Anglia as an Innovation & Continual Improvement Manager to create an environment that  encourages cross-departmental collaboration, ideation and research activities and establish an innovation eco-system to support the transformation rail is currently experiencing. I manage our Innovation Academy which develops our employees on tools to use in everyday situations to drive innovation, challenge the status quo and share what they have learnt developing a culture of curiosity.

I really don’t have favourite shoes, I however like to kick them off at the end of the day and relax in my garden bare foot.

Stuart Eames
Retail Innovation Lead

Stuart is a passionate and enthusiastic leader in Innovation, process improvement and lean methodology, working within Waitrose and Partners, a tier one British Grocer.

Having spent 16 years running supermarkets and understanding first hand how inefficiency and poor processes lead to employee frustration, Stuart is now leading Retail innovation for Waitrose having delivered £8m savings to date.

Stuart specialises in idea management, having launched the Waitrose Partner Ideas scheme, designed to give a voice to the employee and take ideas from grassroots through to delivery. Stuart knows first hand that harnessing the power of the workforce to solve business problems and using a tried and tested methodology delivers fantastic results.

1. Why am I part of Ideas UK

Delivering ideas in business is hard, sometimes you feel like your pushing water up hill. Therefore it is really important to surround yourself with like minded professionals, experts in ideas, people who can advise, support and  listen. This is why I am part of Ideas UK, as all of these points ring true. Ideas UK is one of the only organisations that focus purely on the process, framework and sustainability of idea schemes, and that for me is a real distinction.

2. Invention

Post it note!

Yes, the post it note is the best invention. Why, well I use them ALL the time, they help me capture thoughts, ideas, process steps. Whats not to love. Its also worth noting, that everyone has tried to digitise these! and no one has succeeded. In fact show me a business today that’s not fundamentally held up by post it notes…