Sussex Innovation has announced the promotion of Daisy Wood from Community Manager at the Sussex Innovation Centre in Falmer, to the position of Centre Manager for Sussex Innovation Croydon, where she will take over from the outgoing Saffron Saunders.

Daisy will report directly to Chief Executive Nigel Lambe, with responsibility for helping Sussex Innovation Croydon’s community of ambitious start-ups and scale-ups access advice and consultancy from the organisation’s in-house experts. She will also collaborate with local stakeholders and business groups to deliver a full programme of support, funding and events, and form connections between members of the community to share ideas and expertise and build more resilient businesses.

“We’re delighted to have been able to promote from within to fill this crucial position,” said Nigel Lambe, Chief Executive of Sussex Innovation. “Managing one of our centres is a job that requires a combination of strategic planning, creative thinking and emotional intelligence – we see ourselves as co-pilots on the entrepreneurial journey, experiencing the many highs and lows of start-up life right alongside our members.

“Daisy has demonstrated throughout her time with Sussex Innovation that she’s a very insightful, adaptable person who truly cares about the people we work with, taking the time to get to know every business. As the whole regional business ecosystem plots a course back from the disruption of the pandemic, those qualities are going to be more valuable than ever.”

Daisy Wood joined Sussex Innovation in 2015, as part of the Facilities team at the organisation’s campus hub in Falmer, East Sussex. As the first face to welcome many new tenants to the building, she established a strong rapport with the centre’s membership and was ultimately promoted to Community Manager. During her time in this role she has taken on several additional responsibilities for organising events, community initiatives and marketing campaigns.

“This is such an exciting opportunity and I’m thrilled to have had the support and encouragement of the rest of the Sussex Innovation team in taking on this new role,” she said. “It has been a difficult year in many ways but I am really looking forward to getting to know our Croydon members, and leading the centre out of lockdown.”