Overview
Founded by 4 like-minded entrepreneurs in 1991, TomTom is now the leading independent geolocation technology specialist.
Their aim is to help people, goods and vehicles understand their place in the world, enabling them to go further in it.
Together with their customers and partners, they use billions of global datapoints to create a rich ‘real-time map’. With this fresh, smart and accurate map, TomTom helps people find their way in the world.
Growth in uncertain times
TomTom identified that it needed to invest in the development of promising individuals at director levels of the organisation, in order to prepare them for the succession of more senior leadership roles. Additionally, they wanted to increase collaboration between them and bolster their ability to stay coordinated to meet business challenges. A learning solution to both recognise and develop these high-performing and high-potential individuals would also serve as a way to reward and retain this talent, as they are critical to the future success of TomTom.
They also wanted to increase collaboration between them and bolster their ability to stay coordinated to meet business challenges. A learning solution to both recognise and develop these high-performing and high-potential individuals would also serve as a way to reward and retain this talent, as they are critical to the future success of TomTom.
The scope of the project was to offer an accelerated development programme for a select group of highly talented individuals within TomTom, from various business units, looking to develop senior leadership level competencies. It was also hoped that this initiative would also have an impact on creating a sense of community, allowing them to connect and work as one team, while increasing their engagement and retaining them within TomTom.
With the help of Cambridge Judge Business School, the Accelerated Leadership Programme was developed. It was designed for a selection of exceptionally skilled directors and senior managers, with the aim of cultivating a comprehensive understanding of strategic business leadership in a constantly evolving landscape, allowing them to achieve impact, even in the most challenging of scenarios.
The programme was designed to develop the skills and guide the growth of these high performing TomTom’ers, in line with the increasing scope of their current roles and of course, their potential. This would help TomTom to mitigate the risk of talent drain by increasing the internal fill rate for those at VP level.
Unlocking the potential of our high-impact TomTom’ers is not just an investment in their future, but in the future of TomTom. With our Accelerated Leadership@TomTom programme, we are charting a path that expands horizons, nurtures networks, and cultivates the skills needed for our exceptional leaders. Together, we are shaping a legacy of excellence and innovation at TomTom.
Cultivating an understanding of strategic business leadership
During initial stage of the programme design conversation between Arne-Christian, TomTom’s CHRO, and Academic Programme Director Professor Kishore Sengupta, they explored a critical leadership challenge: transitioning from being high-performing functional leaders to thriving as c-suite senior leaders.
This shift demands more than the skills and approaches that contributed to past successes—highlighting the principle that “what got you here won’t get you there.” The challenge lies in equipping leaders to transcend functional expertise and embrace the complexities of c-suite roles, which require a broader perspective, new strategic levers, and an ability to navigate the intricacies of leadership and organisational culture.
To address this, TomTom introduced The Accelerated Leadership Programme, an intensive 10-month initiative designed to prepare emerging leaders for the demands of senior leadership. Built around four key pillars—Leading vs Executing, Shifting Levers of Effectiveness, End-to-End Perspective, and Talent and Performance—the programme comprehensively integrates individual development, organisational complexity, and leadership dynamics.
The programme’s design brought these themes to life through sessions led by Cambridge Judge faculty and current TomTom leaders, fireside chats, and group exercises. These components not only fostered deep reflection and knowledge-sharing but also enabled participants to immediately apply their learning in real-world contexts.
The inaugural cohort comprised 14 TomTom employees from various business units, united by their aspiration to enhance their strategic understanding, develop advanced leadership skills, and address critical challenges to secure TomTom’s future success. Through collaborative exploration and practical application, participants gained insights into the complexities of leadership while embracing the transformative journey from functional expertise to strategic leadership.
This blend of practical tools and conceptual frameworks helped participants tackle their growth journey effectively, ensuring they were better equipped to lead with vision and purpose in an increasingly complex business environment.
Month development journey
Hours of learning over 2 years
High-potential future leaders
Embracing your inner leader
The creation of this programme illustrates TomTom’s commitment to career development, and reinforces TomTom’s philosophy that leadership is a ‘superpower’ accessible to all. Arne-Christian says: “Leadership enables us to create the technologies that solve customer problems. And this superpower is not just for the happy few. We grow leaders at every level, defined by behaviours and principles, rather than by positions and titles.”
This unique learning solution encourages and provides TomTom’s leaders with ways to take control and find a way around the obstacles they face.
Participants on the programme have already benefitted greatly. Victoria Lim, Head of People Communications, says, “Learning from leading academics in their field, with great knowledge of different businesses and industries, allows us to think outside our own bubble and broadens not only our perspective, but the positive impact we can make on the business.”
Jo Hetherington, Director of IT, saw it as a great means to “build collaboration across different departments.” Plus, survey data reflects a hugely positive outlook: 100% of participants felt that the programme’s content was “relevant to enlarging their horizons as a leader.”
As well as the participants benefitting from developing their leadership skills on the programme, the impact on TomTom itself is evident. As more and more of its leaders complete the programme, they are contributing to TomTom’s long-term strategic goals.
To be effective, leaders need to find a suitable direction for the business, influence and manage their stakeholders, take teams along on the journey, and get the best out of people. This was the journey of the Accelerated Leadership Programme, and we are privileged to work with such a bright, talented and motivational group of leaders.