Engineers
Engineers dislike pondering over theories. They want to construct something that will work immediately. They are interested in the latest ideas and technologies and want to try them because they may discover something new. Engineers usually have many ideas; they enjoy hands-on exploration and testing new things.
They prosper in industries where there are opportunities for incremental improvements and some leaps of imagination. This might be hardware manufacturing or the automotive industry. They need to be able to evaluate their proposals through prototyping and tests.
Investors
This is a rare species among innovation executives. They see innovation as the means to an end. They carefully allocate resources so that the best opportunities are utilised. They are analytical and focused on data and financial impacts. They need a technical expert as a partner who will help assess the potential of various ideas.
They thrive in consumer goods companies, where they help to choose the right portfolio of innovations.
Advocates
Advocates have big aspirations, given their marketing or design background. They want to deliver something new for the customer. Fast-moving industries, where trends change rapidly (apparel, media, advertising), are made for them. They want to keep the brand identity and make sure it stays relevant.
You can expect immediately usable innovations from them. However, they may explore too many directions at once, so they need a strategist in order to stay disciplined.
According to the Harvard Business Review, innovation executives also include motivators, who are focused on unleashing the creative spirit of everyone in the organisation. And there are also organisers, who are process-focused and consistently adhere to methodology.
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