At SVGC we’re proud to be a small business formed of experienced, highly qualified people operating on a national platform.
Suzy Hurst brings nearly 20 years of experience in the Defence sector, spanning roles as a Civil Servant, industry partner, and most recently as a consultant. At SVGC, she leverages her deep understanding of Defence projects and programmes to deliver tailored, practical solutions for clients.
What are your ‘must haves’ to start the working day?
Mornings don’t properly begin for me until I’ve had two strong black coffees! After that, I usually get my two small children ready for school before settling into the right mindset for the workday.
What’s your proudest work achievement to date?
I’m particularly proud of leading the creation, funding, and establishment of the first Centre of Expertise (CoE) within Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S). This CoE, specifically focused on Robotics and Autonomy, led the way for its structure, commercial approach and governance and is now used as best-practice across Defence procurement.
What do you love most about what you do?
I love the variety within Defence. Even similar projects have unique nuances—different personalities, priorities, and challenges. Working out the best approach for each project or programme (sometimes failing before reaching success!) remains the most rewarding part of my work.
What does your typical working day look like?
I try to arrange my day to suit my natural rhythm. I am a morning person so typically I tackle the most detail-oriented and challenging tasks before lunch. After a quick inbox check and prioritisation, I dive into the day’s work, while staying ready for any curveballs that come my way!
When you hit a wall workwise, what do you do to help overcome the hurdle?
I am a not-so-secret academic and so spend a decent amount of my free time upskilling and reading up on in everything from P3M skills to philosophy. I’m particularly drawn to Negative Capability theory, which is about giving yourself space to consider deep and complex challenges. When applied properly, I often find that stepping back and stopping for a moment almost allows my brain to untangle even the knottiest of problems.
