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When The Connected Places Catapult’s new CEO arrived, she brought something transformational: a crystal-clear vision for the future. However, she recognised that achieving this vision in a large, complex organisation required more than strategy. It needed expert tactical execution to make it happen.
The challenge: the right infrastructure for delivering the vision
As part of the Innovate UK Catapult Network, Connected Places Catapult (CPC) is the UK’s innovation accelerator for transport, the built environment, cities and local growth. With 300+ employees to consider, complex organisational structures to redesign, and a fundamental cultural shift from command-and-control to open transparency, the real challenge was always going to lie in the execution of the plan.
Although the existing HR function was doing solid work supporting managers and colleagues, it was not well positioned to support the scale of transformation required. Given the scope of the wider business transformation project, it was critical to get the HR function stable and performing up front.
Most critically, the CEO understood that successful transformation depends entirely on having the right people on board to deliver change. She also recognised the importance of the people function as a solid foundation. Without this, even the best strategic vision would fail to deliver.
The strategic decision: fractional HR expertise
Rather than attempt this complex transformation with internal resources alone, CPC’s leadership team made a decision that would prove pivotal: they engaged fractional HR expertise to lead the people side of the transformation, and Dyanne Ierardo from People Puzzles was brought in to lead the people side of the transition.
The initial brief was focused, but within three weeks it became clear that more comprehensive change was needed. The scope expanded to include taking on the new role of Interim Human Resources Director, working alongside the Chief Transformation Officer to support the seven distinct workstreams of the change project, and completely rebuilding the HR function from the ground up.
This flexibility demonstrated the strategic maturity of CPC’s leadership team—they understood that transformation rarely follows a linear path and were prepared to make bold decisions when circumstances demanded it, electing to bring in tactical expertise to get the job done fast and well.
As Kate Ross, Chief Transformation Officer said, “Dy was extremely good at very quickly identifying and clearly defining the problems, and then bringing great clarity to the solutions she put forward.”
The foundation principle: People Strategy first
Getting the people part right was vital. As Kate Ross noted: “You need your HR department to be stable and fully functioning before you can successfully roll out any kind of transformation plan. Without that solid foundation, change programmes fail because the people infrastructure isn’t there to support them.”
This insight drove the entire approach and Dy was able to integrate the people function into the wider change programme, bringing senior stakeholders up to speed on the people-related elements and collaborating closely with programme leads.
The fractional HR intervention focused on three critical areas:
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Stabilising and restructuring the HR function
The existing HR team was completely restructured with clear roles, responsibilities, and accountability frameworks. This resulted in five internal opportunities and strategic backfilling of lower-tier roles, creating the stable foundation needed for broader transformation while keeping the team engaged and motivated.
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Leading the People Transition workstream
With 70% of the workforce affected by organisational redesign, this involved an extensive consultation process, transparent communication, and careful management of human impact. The approach prioritised internal opportunities and finding the right people for newly designed positions.
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Cultural transformation
The CEO had a really clear vision to take the culture to a transparent, trusting place with an open design and open consultation approach to change. Moving from command-and-control to open transparency required fundamental shifts in how people worked together. This included establishing performance frameworks, leadership development, and embedding new values across the entire organisation.
The execution: intensive transformation
The transformation was intensive—two meetings per day for 60 days, participation in senior leadership discussions, board meetings, and steering groups. Dy worked closely with Kate as CTO, quickly becoming a trusted advisor key confidante to the CEO throughout the process.
The approach was deliberately agile and fast-paced, combining years of transformation experience with real-time problem-solving and solution design. Key deliverables included complete organisational restructuring, launch of leadership playbooks with training frameworks, and values workshops for all 300 staff members.
The results: transformation delivered
The transformation delivered measurable results across multiple dimensions:
Organisational Impact:
- Successful restructuring of 300+ person organisation with minimal disruption to delivery
- 70% of workforce successfully transitioned to new roles and structures
- Clear accountability frameworks established across all functions
Cultural Transformation:
- Shift from command-and-control to open, transparent, values-driven culture
- Enhanced employee engagement and participation in business direction
- Performance management systems implemented throughout the business
HR Function Excellence:
- HR team transformed to high-performing business partners
- Strategic HR capability embedded at senior leadership level
- Foundation created for ongoing people development and support
Client Perspectives
“Dy came in to support us through a massive change programme. She quickly got up to speed, gaining the confidence of both the senior team and the HR team. Her approach is in understanding culture and personalities and bringing quick and clear solutions. She was instrumental in us achieving an excellent outcome.” Erika Lewis, CEO Connected Places Catapult
“I had the pleasure of working with Dy on a major corporate transformation where she expertly led both BAU HR and the People Transition workstream. Dy is exactly who you want on your team — bold, bright, energetic, and refreshingly direct. She brings deep knowledge, sharp instincts and a no-nonsense approach.” Charlotte Lewis, Connected Places Catapult
So why did it work so well?
Catapult’s transformation success demonstrates several critical insights:
Leadership acumen using tactical resources: The CEO’s decision to bring in fractional HR expertise and a dedicated transformation lead, rather than attempt transformation with internal resources alone, was strategically astute. She recognised that transformation requires specific expertise and external perspective.
People Strategy as Business Strategy: By positioning the people function as the foundation for all other transformation efforts, Catapult ensured their strategic vision had the infrastructure needed for execution and put themselves in the best position to bring their people with them in achieving the vision.
External expertise, internal development: The fractional approach allowed access to board-level HR expertise while developing internal capability— minimised redundancies and five internal promotions demonstrate that external expertise multiplied rather than replaced internal talent, developing the value of the business and investing in the talent of the future.
The Foundation for Future Growth
Today, CPC stands in a fundamentally different position. The CEO’s vision has been translated into operational reality, supported by a fully functioning, strategically-aligned HR department, clear performance frameworks, and an engaged workforce aligned with company values.
The transformation created the foundation from which CPC can now pursue sustainable growth, which it expects to be seeing within 6-12 months. The people function is no longer a constraint on business development – it’s become a competitive advantage, with people aligned and engaged in delivering the long-term vision of the organisation.
The result is transformation that doesn’t just change the organisation—it positions it for sustained future success.
This transformation demonstrates the power of combining strategic leadership vision with tactical HR expertise. When people strategy becomes the foundation for change, transformation delivers lasting competitive advantage.
