Stephen Robinson

Stephen Robinson

Director - Future Mobility

I’m responsible for leading Hyperion’s EV & Future Mobility practice, leveraging over 12 years of search experience in the global energy and automotive sectors. Since 2016, I’ve been at the forefront of the EV revolution, having built up a rich network, you are likely to find me attending or speaking at industry events particularly in UK & Europe.

I specialise in leading multi-discipline teams and supporting post-investment startups, scale-ups, multinational corporations and their investors to appoint senior leadership, c-suite and board level talent globally.
My experience spans diverse geographies, including living in the Middle East, where I spent two years working with leading international energy companies to hire key, strategic talents across commercial, technical and operational functions.

Beyond my professional achievements, I’m deeply passionate about sustainability and the transition to clean technology. As an electric vehicle driver for many years, I’m an early adopter and advocate of new technology and as such, have dedicated my career to the energy transition. My commitment to a greener future is fuelled by my role as a father to two beautiful children, Connor and Kate. Connor's asthma has instilled in me a strong desire to create a healthier environment for future generations.

When I’m not immersed in the world of search, I enjoy staying active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Running has been a particular passion of mine since 2020, and I help run a local community running club with close on 300 active members. The physical and mental challenges of running have been invaluable in keeping me grounded and focused whilst being able to unleash my competitive side. I’ve completed three marathons to date and look forward to taking on more challenges in due course.

Related Insights

18 June 2025

Don't let bad recruitment experiences drain your Startup's energy and time

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Had a fascinating exchange recently with a successful cleantech founder who'd scaled and exited their business in recent years.

They openly admitted a strong dislike for recruiters, clearly stemming from some negative past experiences.

However, this same founder also confessed to spending 30+ hours a week on recruitment. That's 30 hours pulled away from strategy, product development, gaining commercial traction, fundraising – the core activities that drive a start-up.

And it wasn't just them; their HR and internal team leads were also bogged down, sifting through hundreds of applications.

It made me think:

When you need a leak fixed? You call a plumber.
When you need to re-wire your house? You get an electrician.
When you need to balance the books? You get an accountant
When you systems fail? You consult IT Support
When you need medical advice? You consult a doctor.

You get the gist...

So why do so many founders and HR professionals believe they can manage complex recruitment on their own? It often leads to a massive drain on vital time and resources.

Good recruiters aren't just a cost; they're a vital extension of your business. We're your eyes and ears in the market. We know your competition inside out, we understand the talent landscape, and can compellingly share your story to attract top-tier talent – the kind who aren't just spamming applications.

Don't let a past bad experience cost you and your team countless hours of headache. An experienced search consultant can take that pain away, save you money, and free you up to focus on what truly matters. It's simply naive to think otherwise.

The work myself and my team at Hyperion Search Ltd do has a 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙩 on helping cleantech companies to scale. Cleantech isn't just the latest fad for us, we live and breathe it and have been scaling innovative start-ups globally for a lot longer than most. 

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01 May 2025

What does success look like?

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It's a question I pose to my clients at the very start of a new search. Whilst many define it with hard numbers – "£X revenue delivered by X date" or "X projects delivered with X costs saved" – a fair few, though, simply say: "finding the right person." And that really got me thinking...

This weekend, I'll be running the Manchester Marathon, my fourth in five years and the first of two this year. Those four medals will stick with me forever, and they certainly haven't come about by chance. I've put in a serious amount of time and effort over the years, going from someone who couldn't run for a bus to someone who's no longer fazed by running 20 miles on consecutive weekends.

The thought of 26.2 miles though, can seem a bit daunting, but in many ways it reminds me a lot of the strategic graft required in the search for top talent. Finding the right person doesn't just happen overnight. Just like running a marathon, it isn't about a quick dash to the finish line. It involves proper planning and strategy, consistent effort, and the stamina and resilience to go the distance. And more often than not, it requires the skills and experience of someone far more clued up than yourself to help you get there – like a running coach.

Let's face it, everyone wants the best hire, but most of the time, the best talent isn't immediately visible, they're happy, motivated, well compensated and generally flying in their current role. A proper and persistent search is therefore required to uncover and then convince those exceptional individuals to come on board and genuinely drive your business forward and help you achieve your growth ambitions.

Mediocre, so-so talent doesn't take your business to the next level, just like being ill-prepared won't run a marathon for you. So don't rush the hiring process or settle for working with a firm who simply slings the cheapest and fastest CVs at your door. We all know a rushed hiring process has a high probability of ending in disaster - just like a rushed marathon.

That's where Hyperion Search Ltd comes in. Think of a search firm like us as your experienced running partner or coach, leveraging our knowledge and many years of experience to guide you through the twists and turns of the talent landscape, creating and delivering on a strategy to help you cross the finish line with the perfect hire not a rushed one.

If you are looking for senior or leadership talent and want to find the right partner to have a genuine impact on your success in doing so, feel free to get in touch.

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02 October 2024

Hiring a NED can transform your business

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Having supported a number of start-ups in hiring Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) over the last few years, I've witnessed first-hand the invaluable contributions they can make to a company's growth and success. The right NED brings a unique blend of experience, expertise, and objectivity to the boardroom, providing invaluable guidance and support to the executive team.

When considering hiring a NED, it's essential to align their skills and experience with the specific needs of your start-up. Look for individuals who have a rich and fruitful network they can leverage, a track record ‘operating’ within successful organisations, someone who offers strategic insights, challenges assumptions, and provides valuable mentorship to you and your founding team without stepping on anybody's toes. 

An effective NED has the ability to foster a culture of innovation, collaboration and accountability, will ask the right questions, provide invaluable mentorship to your leadership team and help guide your growth strategy rather than dictate it.

Throughout my experience, I've found that NEDs who are passionate about the mission of a start-up and its vision tend to be the most effective. They are more likely to be engaged, proactive, and committed to long-term success. Building a strong rapport and trust between the NED and the executive team is also crucial for effective collaboration. The NED should compliment your team, bringing fresh ideas to the table, acting as a sounding board, a source of inspiration, motivation and belief in realising your company goals.

In my role at Hyperion, I've had the pleasure of working with directly a couple of NED's who have helped support our own growth. I've also worked with several cleantech and EV start-ups to appoint NED's at crucial stages of their growth, from pre-investment to post-investment scale-up phase. 

If you are considering hiring a NED, carefully evaluate their expertise, experience, and alignment with your company goals. Ask yourself, what support does your business need and what value will hiring a NED bring. And of course, if you need help finding one, consider myself and Hyperion Search - we've been doing this for years. 

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