Partner Article

A visionary decade: Thierry Delange reflects on ten years at RTC

March marked a notable milestone for our business development director Thierry Delange, ten years since he joined RTC North, writes Sarah Spence, head of marketing. Over the last decade, Thierry’s journey has not only shaped the future of our organisation but has also redefined what it means to deliver meaningful, long lasting impact to the businesses we support across the North. I recently sat down with Thierry to reflect on his journey, the driving forces behind his work, and what the next chapter might hold. What came through loud and clear was a deep sense of purpose, a sharp vision of the future, and a belief that the strength of our people is our greatest asset.

“Our most valuable asset, one some might call intangible, is the brainpower of our 120 strong team. You can’t replace that with machines. In our line of work, the human side plays a critical role in helping businesses grow. That’s not going to change and nor should it.”

When Thierry joined RTC North in March 2015, he brought with him not just experience, but foresight. He quickly identified the need for a shift, a move away from traditional service delivery towards a more agile, independent, and purpose driven model.

Under his influence, RTC has grown into an organisation that puts long term, sustainable impact at the heart of everything it does. Thierry's approach has helped evolve our business model to deliver even greater value, not just in outputs, but in outcomes that last.

“Impact is more than a buzzword, there’s short-term impact, sure but what really matters is long term, sustainable change. That’s what truly helps build resilient regional economies.”

What drives Thierry isn’t accolades or headlines, it’s people. Recruiting, retaining, developing and unleashing the full potential of RTC’s team has been central to his mission.

“The journey forward is about deep engagement and shared ownership, we’re at our best when we trust in the brilliance of our team and create an environment where everyone feels empowered to lead, challenge, and grow.”

This people-first ethos has become a cornerstone of our culture, inspiring new collaborative, innovative, and mutually respectful ways of working.

One of the most passionate parts of our conversation centred on RTC’s independence. For Thierry, staying true to our purpose means making decisions free from external agendas, even when that’s the harder road.

“Independence is key to our success, if you’re driven by shareholders or attached to the wrong funding, it can compromise your ability to do what’s right for the businesses you’re here to support. At RTC, we’ve always stood firm, we’ll only get involved in work if we believe it’s going to make a real difference.”

This uncompromising approach is more than just a principle, it’s a daily practice. Thierry has helped embed this mindset throughout the business, ensuring that we remain mission led and focused on the real world impact we were created to deliver.

“Sometimes being independent means saying no, even if there’s more money on the table, if it takes us away from our purpose, it’s not for us.”

Ten years in, Thierry shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, he’s more energised than ever about the road ahead, a future defined by innovation, integrity, and even deeper impact.

“The next phase is about evolving how we engage, how we collaborate, and how we build a culture of shared ownership, we’re not standing still. If anything, we’re gearing up to do even more and do it better.”

As we look to the future, Thierry’s leadership offers a powerful reminder of what’s possible when vision meets values, when you put people at the centre and refuse to compromise on what matters most.

Here’s to the past ten years and the future we’re building together!

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by RTC North .