Renewable Energy

Empowering Innova’s Growth through a Long-Term Partnership

Innova stands out as a particularly impressive success story within the UK’s rapidly growing renewable energy sector. Climate17 is proud to have partnered with Innova since 2020, helping them to scale their business, build new teams and deliver successful renewable energy projects. 

About Innova 

Innova is a forward-thinking renewable energy business, employing over 120 people across two offices in London and Cheltenham. Innova’s long-term mission is to create utility-scale renewable energy projects using multi-technologies that take large energy intensive users off-grid, positively improving the environment, and benefiting local businesses and communities.   

Innova offer a fully integrated approach to renewable energy developments and operations covering the whole life cycle of any project. This includes planning, grid connections, project rights development, financing, construction and asset management, power purchase agreements, and long-term operations.  

The company encompasses a range of innovative technologies, including solar, battery storage, green hydrogen, and advanced thermal conversion. 

Our Partnership Story

In early 2020, Innova turned to us for assistance, recognising our expertise in renewable energy recruitment. Like many renewable energy companies, Innova was concerned about talent shortages restricting their growth potential. 

The partnership was initiated by Tom Wolsey, Climate17 Director & Co-Founder, who met with Innova at their London office and subsequently assisted them in filling a particularly challenging Technical Director vacancy they had struggled with for a while. 

Following this initial success, we built a close working relationship with Innova over subsequent years, based on increasing levels of credibility and trust, gained through consistent successful delivery of challenging assignments. This led us to become their exclusive talent partner, as they rapidly scaled their business to match their growing project pipeline and the ever-evolving market opportunity in UK solar & battery storage. 

Challenges & Growth 

As Innova continued to grow throughout the years, they faced challenges in sourcing specialised talent to support their rapid expansion. The need for skilled professionals in planning, development management, engineering, project delivery, procurement and asset management became increasingly critical. With many of these being new roles to Innova, we had to source suitable individuals who were both motivated and capable of building these functions from scratch. 

Meeting Innova's growing demand required us to navigate the intricacies of today's competitive recruitment market. In this dynamic environment, successful hiring requires adept forecasting, a solid understanding and analysis of the market, and an extensive community of engaged talent. 

As Innova expanded, we strategically scaled our delivery capabilities and team of recruiters, allowing us to align closely with their evolving needs. 

Our Consultative Solutions   

By listening to Innova’s challenges and understanding their needs, we have been able to foster a close and long-lasting partnership. We have a dedicated central Account Manager who is responsible for undertaking regular performance reviews and centrally co-ordinating delivery across our specialist teams. 

In addition to this, our recruiters engage directly with Innova hiring managers, ensuring a tailored and collaborative approach. 

Our comprehensive solutions include permanent recruitment, retained search, Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), and insightful market analysis.  

Together, these have allowed us to continuously find Innova the best and most diverse selection of talent, allowing Innova to reach their fullest potential. Innova benefits from the scalability and flexibility of our RPO service, whilst utilising our retained search service for harder to fill roles. 

We also undertake bespoke annual salary surveys for Innova, ensuring that they achieve pay transparency and position themselves strategically regarding compensation offerings. 

This multi-faceted approach has supported Innova's growth and enabled them to define their unique EVP (employer value proposition), as well as recruit a high volume of specialist roles throughout the years.  

The Outcomes 

  

"We have outsourced the majority of our recruitment to Climate17 over the past 4 years and they have been pivotal in ensuring the growth of our business, consistently delivering top talent for hard-to-fill positions across planning, technical, project delivery, corporate services and corporate finance. We have worked closely with them to ensure we are consistently developing our employer value proposition and positioning our business as an employer of choice to new employees, as well as retaining our existing staff." - Robin Dummett, Co-Founder & Joint CEO

Through a collaborative approach and a shared commitment towards advancing the global transition to clean energy, Climate17 has played a pivotal role in building Innova's workforce and fuelling their success in the renewable energy sector. Since 2020 and for the foreseeable future, we are proud to be Innova’s recruitment partner and continue to assist with their growth and success.

Interested in collaborating? Let’s work together to make a difference. Reach out to our team here

Other success stories

Renewable Energy

Driving EDP Renewables' expansion in France

EDP Renewables (EDPR), a global leader in renewable energy, has made remarkable strides in the sector, building a robust presence in the French market. Since 2018, EDPR has partnered with Climate17 to secure specialised talent, enabling the company to expand operations, meet project demands, and drive its mission to transition the world to clean energy.

About EDPR

Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Madrid, EDPR is the fourth largest wind energy generator globally. The company designs, develops, manages, and operates renewable energy power plants worldwide, focusing on onshore and offshore wind as well as solar energy, contributing significantly to the clean energy transition. EDPR has expanded its operations to regions such as Europe, North and South America, and Asia, solidifying its reputation as a renewable energy powerhouse. The firm has been accredited with a listing in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index and named a Top Employer 2024 in Europe, Singapore, Brazil, Colombia and Chile.

Partnership Initiation

Climate17’s partnership with EDPR began in 2018, initiated by Carlos Soria, Climate17’s Director and Co-Founder. EDPR came to us looking to expand into the French Renewable Energy market. They required candidates who had experience working within the renewable sector with skills suitable to support their growth ambitions to expand within the French market.

Initially focusing on recruitment in France and Spain, the partnership expanded over the years to support EDPR’s international growth in other regions such as Colombia, Greece, the UK, Vietnam, Italy, Poland, Romania, and Germany. The need for international hires reinforced the necessity to collaborate with a recruitment specialist capable of targeting candidates directly and delivering comprehensive market insights.

Despite this international coverage, the core of the collaboration remained focused on France where Damien Mura, Head of France, was instrumental in managing and growing the account, partnering with EDPR on an exclusive basis.

Challenges and Our Consultative Solutions

As EDPR continued to focus on their growth plans within the French market, their expansion was met with difficulties as their specialist roles were unable to be filled due to a finite number of professionals with experience working within the renewable energy sector. As well as struggling with limited talent, the rapid growth of the renewable energy industry in France meant demand for accomplished executives was excessive. Without filling their roles with suitable candidates, EDPR would be unable to meet its growth objectives and struggle to expand and become an industry leader within France. Subsequently, the need for a specialised recruitment partner was crucial to be able to identify and head-hunt suitable candidates.

We addressed these challenges by consulting with EDPR about their expansion aims and business objectives and the required skills and desired attributes for each vacancy. This supported us in identifying candidates from diverse sectors such as agriculture and real estate, leveraging our expertise to highlight transferable skills suited to the renewable energy sector. This approach expanded the talent pool, providing expert market insights and gaining a competitive advantage over other contenders, enhancing the resulting outcomes.

Recruiting for a growing company like EDPR in a competitive industry within France posed challenges, but we were able to navigate these effectively. EDPR required a variety of roles in the French Market throughout our partnership, from Country Manager to Origination Managers. Our teams’ advanced renewable energy expertise combined with extensive market knowledge and our retained search & selection process assisted in fulfilling permanent recruitment.

We consistently maintained flexibility in our approach, adapting our services to meet EDPR's evolving needs. By staying in close communication, regularly seeking feedback, and refining the search process as necessary, we developed a strong rapport with key team members and hiring managers, helping us form an exclusive basis with EDPR throughout our relationship.

Outcomes and Impact

“Damien is a highly professional, detail-focused consultant. He is passionate about the renewable energy market and proven to be an expert. He is very focused on quality, always striving to find the best talent for our business.”

Javier Gomez, Head of HR

“Damien was very professional and understood what I was looking for when I changed jobs. I’d like to thank him again for giving me this opportunity.”

Kevin Wavelet, Head of Asset Management

Climate17’s tailored consultative solutions played a pivotal role in fulfilling EDPR’s need for top-tier candidates to support their growth in the French market. By thoroughly understanding EDPR’s specific requirements and long-term objectives, we were able to identify talent with the right attributes and experience to drive their expansion efforts. Our bespoke recruitment strategies not only ensured that EDPR had access to a diverse talent pool but also provided insights into market trends and hiring best practices. This partnership has been instrumental in helping EDPR meet their ambitious growth targets while positioning them for continued success in the renewable energy sector.

In a similar position as EDPR and looking to expand or enter a market with finite talent? Let's work together to drive change. Learn more about our French services and team here.

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Renewable Energy

Powering Fotowatio’s Growth in Italy

About Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV)

Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV), a leader in renewable energy solutions, has consistently driven innovation and excellence in the renewable energy sector. Founded in 2006, the company rapidly expanded its operations globally, including into Italy in 2008. Italy's renewable energy market is primarily focused on photovoltaic (PV) solar energy, but FRV has also emerged as a leader in Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). Their commitment to renewable energy has positioned them as a key player in the transition to a clean energy future.

Our Partnership Initiation

Our strategic partnership was initiated in 2015 by Carlos Soria, Climate17 Director & Co-Founder, by signing an agreement with FRV’s HR team at their headquarters in Madrid, Spain. At the time, FRV faced challenges in attracting top-tier talent in regions where they had minimal presence or brand recognition. The need for international hires in these underserved markets made it crucial to engage with a specialised recruitment partner who could proactively approach candidates and provide strategic market mapping.

Our teams’ advanced renewable energy expertise, combined with our extensive network and deep market knowledge, made us the ideal partner for FRV. The excellent communication between both parties further solidified our partnership, leading to the successful placement of key roles in Spain, Mexico, Australia, and Dubai. The initial focus was on Project Managers for PV solar plants.

In 2023, our collaboration expanded to support FRV’s Italian growth, marking a significant milestone in our partnership.

Expanding into the Italian Market

As FRV continued to grow and the need to source specific talent was also on the rise, this presented both opportunities and challenges for FRV. Despite these obstacles, Martina and Claudia, our Italian Renewable Energy team, successfully placed eight key roles over a year and a half. These placements included positions in legal, project development, project management and project engineering, construction, and accounting—all based in Rome, where FRV has fostered a dynamic, welcoming, and innovative workplace culture.

The successful placement of a Grid Connection Specialist, a critical role in the renewable energy sector, highlights the team’s ability to overcome the significant challenge of finding the appropriate candidates willing to join a new and growing company in a competitive market, who aligned with FRV’s vision, growth plans and ambitions. 

The strong relationship between our team and FRV, as well as our deep understanding of the candidates’ profiles and the company’s needs, has contributed to a high retention rate within FRV’s Italian market. The collaboration has been key in building a strong team that continues to drive FRV’s success in Italy.

Our Tailored Recruitment Solutions

Our partnership with FRV is built on a foundation of close collaboration and flexibility. We have provided tailored recruitment solutions, including comprehensive salary surveys in each international market where FRV operates outside of Spain: Mexico, Australia, Dubai, and Italy. Our approach is entirely adaptable, tailoring our services to meet FRV’s specific needs and requirements.

The Italian team has developed a deep connection with both the candidates and FRV, ensuring that every placement aligns perfectly with the company’s goals and culture. Our tailored recruitment solutions have been key to our success in filling diverse roles across the organisation.

The Outcomes

Our ongoing partnership with FRV continues to thrive. We remain committed to supporting FRV’s growth and success, consistently delivering top-quality candidates who contribute to the company’s mission of advancing renewable energy solutions.

We look forward to continuing our collaboration with FRV, helping them build and expand their teams globally as they lead the change in the renewable energy sector.

Interested in partnering with us? Let’s work together to drive positive change. Discover more about our Italian services and team here.

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