Stuart Martin was recognised as the winner of this year's Innovation in Action award at Esh Group's annual Group Get Together, spotlighting his contribution to improving systems and processes across Esh. We caught up with him to discuss the impact of his work, the achievements that led to the award, and his plans for the future.
Stuart has spent the last decade working alongside teams across the Group to simplify processes, embrace new technology and deliver improvements that make a lasting difference to the way people work.
Reflecting on the award, he said: “It was a total surprise. We didn’t see the shortlist beforehand this year, so I genuinely wasn’t expecting it. It’s really nice to be recognised.”
Despite receiving individual recognition, Stuart is quick to acknowledge the contribution of colleagues who have supported the wide range of projects he has delivered over the years.
“None of the improvement projects I work on are just me,” he said: “Every successful change involves people from across the business. Whether it’s finance, procurement or operational teams, it’s always a collaborative effort, and I’m grateful to everyone I’ve worked with along the way.”
The Innovation in Action award recognises Stuart's role in improving the systems and processes that support teams across the business. From enhancing timesheet and job costing systems to introducing digital workflows and streamlining approval processes, he works closely with colleagues to identify challenges, remove inefficiencies and deliver practical technology-driven solutions.
Colleagues praised Stuart's willingness to support others, his enthusiasm for learning new technologies and his ability to turn ideas into solutions that create real value for the business.
For Stuart, however, successful innovation starts by understanding the people behind the process.
"I have found the best improvements come from listening to people and understanding the problems they're trying to overcome. Trying to force through change never works. It's often the smaller improvements that make the biggest difference and, over time, those changes can have a really significant impact."
That approach has shaped much of Stuart's work over the last decade. Looking back, he believes the greatest achievements come not from one standout project, but from seeing the cumulative impact of continuous improvement over time.
"There isn't one project that stands out above everything else. It's seeing lots of small improvements as they build up. When you look back at where a process was five years ago and where it is today, that's what I find really rewarding."
Looking ahead, Stuart is continuing to expand his knowledge of emerging technologies and is currently undertaking a year-long artificial intelligence course, exploring how new tools and technologies could support future improvements across the business.
“Technology is constantly evolving. For me, it’s about understanding where new tools can genuinely add value, working together with people, understanding challenges and making sure any changes are practical, useful and deliver real benefits.”
After 15 years with Esh, Stuart remains focused on the same goal that earned him the Innovation in Action award – working alongside colleagues to ‘make the business work a little better today than it did yesterday’.
