AUTHOR: Debbie Johnson

Debbie Johnson is the Head of Innovation Talent & Skills at Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency. In this role, she leads efforts to strengthen the UK’s innovation ecosystem and supports talent strategy across UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Debbie’s work centres on two core priorities: enabling businesses to access and develop the talent they need to achieve their innovation ambitions; and ensuring that the UK’s education and skills system evolves in step with frontier technologies. Her focus is on aligning workforce capability with technological advances so the UK can fully realise the economic and societal benefits of innovation.

Before joining Innovate UK in 2020, Debbie spent eighteen years designing and delivering collaboratively funded, business‑led skills programmes within the construction sector, supporting industry transformation and long‑term workforce development.