Public-Private Innovation: The Art of Being ‘the Glue’

Over my career, helping to shape transformative places like MediaCityUK, I’ve learned that the most powerful innovations happen at the intersection of public ambition and private

capability.

As someone who has operated at senior levels in both the public and private worlds, my

leadership role evolved beyond delivering projects and targets to becoming a translator,

trust-builder, and orchestrator. Major public-private partnerships are demanding precisely

because both sides operate from fundamentally different frameworks. Success depends on

someone who can bridge that gap with skill and patience — someone willing to be the

*glue*.

Here are some of my thoughts, based on extensive experience, about making public-private partnerships work.

Speak Both Languages Fluently

The public sector thinks in terms of social value, regeneration, accountability, and electoral

cycles. The private sector thinks in terms of market advantage, returns, and shareholder

value.

Neither perspective is wrong — they’re simply different operating systems.

Your job as the glue is to become bilingual. When a council leader talks about “levelling up”

or “place-making,” translate that into deliverable square footage, employment numbers, and infrastructure timelines that private developers understand. When a developer focuses on yield and occupancy, reframe that in terms of innovation benefits, and social and economic impact that reassure public stakeholders.

I’ve sat through countless meetings where both sides were essentially agreeing — they just

didn’t realise it because they were using different vocabularies. The glue person spots this and builds the bridge.

Align Incentives Early

Alignment doesn’t emerge by accident — you have to engineer it deliberately from day one

and then keep working at it. At MediaCityUK, Salford URC succeeded because we identified the genuine win-win early.

The BBC needed a northern base that demonstrated a leaner and more diverse operating model. Salford needed regeneration and jobs. Peel needed a viable commercial development with a long-term anchor tenant.

Different motivations, but enough overlap to build on.

We made those overlaps explicit and honest, and dealt openly with the gaps. I learned that

mutual compromise — done transparently and respectfully — is a form of leadership.

For example, when I proposed a new high-value tech business lounge to connect start-ups with investors, Peel were initially resistant because it required external modifications to a high-rise building. I produced a business plan demonstrating ROI, wider benefits, and new tenant traction. We both compromised, the project went ahead, and it became one of the most successful convening spaces on the campus.

MediaCityUK - Salford, Greater Manchester

Apply Patient Urgency

Public sector timelines are glacial by private sector standards. Consultations, approvals, and

due process all take time. Meanwhile, private capital is impatient.

Being the glue means holding that tension — maintaining momentum while respecting

genuine constraints. It’s sometimes called patient urgency: moving fast enough to sustain energy, but not so fast that partners disengage.

When private partners wanted to launch the UK’s first commercial 5G network at MediaCityUK, ambition met regulation head-on. The private sector wanted delivery in six

weeks; the public process looked more like six months. My role was to understand both

sides — helping public colleagues navigate their internal hurdles while helping private

partners appreciate legitimate accountability requirements.

The result: we delivered within the six-week window, with full compliance and shared

credit. Salford Council later became Digital Council of the Year.

Build Trust Through Transparency

When millions are at stake, trust is everything and worry is everywhere. The public sector

fears being taken advantage of; the private sector fears political interference or shifting

requirements.

The glue role demands radical transparency. When one side needs a concession, explain

why it matters and what the other side gains in return. When non-negotiable conditions

exist, make them clear early.

Public servants choose to serve the public good and be held accountable; there’s value in

reminding private colleagues of that. It builds recognition and respect.

Your role as a translator becomes paramount in these situations. When managing these

multi-million projects, you need to understand the technicalities of the private sector offer in

detail. There’s no short-cut to this. If you’re serious about being a successful ‘glue’, then you

have to be able to translate the details to ensure they align with public goals.

And sometimes, you need to absorb problems quietly rather than escalate. Minor delays or

small cost variances — fix them at team level. But fundamental scope or political

sensitivities? Translate and escalate clearly and fast. Judgment on which is which is part of

the craft.

Celebrate the Unsung Wins

Large partnerships move through long stretches of quiet grind, punctuated by the occasional ribbon-cutting moment - the funding close, the innovation launch, the award event.

But often the real cohesion is built in the modest milestones — the planning consent, a new

stakeholder partnership, a project target achieved. As the glue, you must notice and celebrate these moments. They’re what sustain “one-team" spirit through the marathon of delivery.

Final Thoughts

Being the glue in public-private partnerships isn’t glamorous. You’re rarely the one cutting

the ribbon or taking the headlines. But done well, it’s how transformative projects and

innovation eco-systems that reshape cities and regions actually get built.

The public sector brings vision and mandate.

The private sector brings capital and capability.

Neither can succeed alone. Someone needs to be the glue.

The MDIS Perspective

Jon’s story captures exactly what makes the MDIS model work: embedded leadership that

bridges strategy and delivery inside complex ecosystems. MDIS Associates don’t sit on the

sidelines — they create traction from within, uniting public purpose and private performance. For projects that need credibility, alignment, and momentum across diverse

stakeholders, MDIS offers the glue that holds transformation together.

About Jon Corner

Jon Corner is a digital transformation and innovation leader whose career spans public,

private, and academic sectors. As Chief Digital Officer for the City of Salford, he authored the city’s digital strategy, launched the UK’s first commercial 5G network, and founded the

Connected Cities Alliance with Siemens, Barclays, Vodafone, and CGI. Earlier, as Chief

Executive of The Landing at MediaCityUK, he built one of the UK’s most successful digital

innovation hubs from concept to delivery. Jon currently advises organisations across

housing, culture, and technology on digital strategy and innovation-led growth, and is an

Associate with MagicDust Interim Solutions (MDIS).