Peter Whittall, Divisional technical director, Rentokil
We regularly engineer situations where our biologists, chemists and engineers solve [problems] by combining technologies from our own and other industries. For example, we combined sensor technology from burglar alarms with knowledge of fumigation to develop the Rentokil Radar mouse unit, which is now used to kill mice humanely around the world. More recently we transferred technology used to dry flood-damaged buildings in Gloucester to kill bed bugs in hotels.
Neil Matheson, Chief technology officer, Unilever
We have reorganised our R&D structure to deliver new products that better differentiate us from our competitors and deliver growth. We work within what we call a 4-D operating framework: define, where we have sharpened prioritisation; discover, where we are building more flexibility and adaptability for our marketplace; design, where we've emphasised 'delighting consumers'; and deploy, where we're improving execution in the marketplace.
Mary McDowell, Executive vice-president and chief development officer, Nokia
Passion for innovation is a core Nokia value, stemming from our reinvention from a wood pulp and rubber producer to a world leader in mobile devices. Nokia promotes open innovation rooted in our mission of connecting people to what matters most to them, be it other people, entertainment, work or the world at large. By starting with a consumer lens, we can make the most complex technology simple and intuitive and ultimately make a difference in people's lives.
Phil Duncan, Global design officer, The Procter & Gamble Company
Keeping creativity alive is essential for our design managers. We do this in several ways. First, we provide spaces that are flexible, stimulate creativity and don't look like a corporate cube farm. We also encourage our design managers to get out of the office — whether it's to visit an exhibit, go to a movie, go shopping and especially, interact with our consumers, who are huge sources of inspiration. Finally, we set up regular forums for them to learn from each other.
