Making your future bright

For many reasons, we’re in an era of accelerated innovation, change and transformation. Consumer expectations are higher than ever, and new digital capabilities bring opportunities for operational improvements.

Teams and businesses must adapt and evolve in order to remain profitable, relevant, and in-demand.

But where to start, what to focus on, how to implement, and how to ensure an empowered workforce?

This is where Akeno come in…

About us

Akeno is an independent innovation and transformation consultancy agency, focused on helping our clients to deliver positive change, underpinned by cohesive and energised teams.

We help teams and organisation to turn skills, ambition and passion into clear strategies, underpinned by strong ethics and values.

We roll our sleeves up and drive delivery via a robust programme management approach that brings stability and transparency, with the ability to adapt and adjust.

Our change mavericks build resilient teams who become advocates for the changes taking place around them.

What we do

We can help you to:

•  Construct, critique and communicate the business case for change: Factoring in everything from commercial arrangements to people management, we can help you to create or adapt a business case for change and transformation.
• Imagine the art of the possible and create clarity on how to achieve it: Where and how to innovate, what does "innovate" mean to your business and creating a tangible and pragmatic plan to get there. 
• Supercharge your internal and external processes to accelerate progress: Identifying areas of opportunity and establishing a vision and plan for the future.
• Make rapid progress with new and inflight projects through robust, yet agile programme management: Rigour, focus and transparency throughout the organisation, with the ability to pivot and adapt.
• Create an empowered and energised workforce who are ready to embrace and drive change: Creating clear vision, establishing values and behaviours, and establishing positive structures and ways working. A culture people want to be part of.
• Rediscover what your partners, customers and stakeholders really need: Using data, insights, and engagement, we can help you to identify where to focus your transformation. Where are the big ticket items, what will underpin long term improvement, and where to start?
• Get the best from your people by establishing a culture to be proud of: All transformation starts and ends with people. The best culture attracts and retains the best people and the best people generate success.

Our approach

We achieve success for our clients thanks to our consultative, collaborative and results-driven approach underpinned by the importance of values. In fact, “Akeno” means “bright and shining” in Japanese, and that is a true reflection of our approach to business; we are approachable, responsive, positive, gracious, and always mindful of the pressures of “business as usual” in the world of transformation.

By working in partnership with our clients, we are able to challenge, produce insight, and significantly add value.

Our energy and inclusive approach creates enthusiastic advocates for the changes ahead, rather than fear and uncertainty.

We don't just think about strategy, transformation and change, we do it. We roll our sleeves up and work with you. We're your supporter, your challenger, your critical friend and your champion.

Nurturing values. Building relationships. Driving Success. Always. 

Our values, our promises…

• We will be energising, curious and transparent, and will always act with integrity.
• With our gritty mindset, we’ll continually learn, and be better everyday. 
• It’s “we, not me”! Our win-win approach encourages teamwork and partnerships.

What makes Akeno different?

• We answer the questions you didn’t know to ask…
• We identify efficiencies – people, process, policy and systems – in a consultative and dynamic way.
• We are instrumental in long term improvements; embedding processes within the local infrastructure, not just delivering the solution.  
• We probe and challenge requirements in order to understand context. 
• We manage the change AND embed the outcome, developing stakeholders into genuine supporters and advocates.
• We understand the challenges of ‘business-as-usual’ in the project world. 
• As our name suggests; we are bright and shining (the meaning of “Akeno” in Japanese)!
  

Our Founder

Akeno was founded by Kerry Thompson in 2015, with the intention of making a difference. Making a difference to clients, but also to each other. Partnership, collaboration and a win-win attitude are important to Kerry, and underpin Akeno's success.

Although Kerry has established herself and Akeno as experts in the automotive field, she has extensive professional experience in both private and public sector, and has built a team of experts across a number of industries including finance, Local Government, hospitality and leisure, warehousing and retail, and even the Metropolitan Police!

She has a proven track record of delivery, from programme management, to operational process optimisation, and complex change management to name a few. Her career started in the world of business intelligence before she expanded into the world of transformation and innovation.

Kerry's contribution to the automotive industry has spanned a number of industry-first projects, such as the launch of the SEAT stores, the rollout of omnichannel solutions, and most recently, providing expertise in brands' transitions to eCommerce and the agency sales model.

Her "super-power" is her courage and expertise to challenge and analyse in a constructive and supportive manner that gets the best out of everyone involved. She engages with stakeholders with her naturally positive and inclusive approach. She is always the energy in the room, even during the most challenging of circumstances!

And if you don't believe us here's what one of our clients say about her:

Some of our Clients