Biography
Richard’s consultancy, AKAS has delivered audience-based strategy, strategic narrative, marcomms, storytelling and creative facilitation advice to a wide range of world class organisations in the following sectors: News Media, Creative Industries, International Development, Charities/Foundations, Education, Tourism & Market Research. AKAS is passionate about fusing cognitive research and emotions-based research on how domestic and global audiences engage with organisations and ideas, to generate insights that support organisational strategies.
AKAS has advised The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, BBC News, BBC World Service, Channel 4 News, ITN, The Guardian, The World Bank Group, The OECD, The European Investment Bank, The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, The Omidyar Network, George Lucas Foundation (Edutopia), No. 10’s GREAT Campaign, London & Partners (the body that promotes London around the world), C40 Climate Leadership Group, Committee to Protect Journalism, Cancer Research UK (the UK’s largest charity), Action for Children, HF Holidays, The Education Fellowship, London Borough of Merton Primary Schools, The Design Council, nfpSynergy, Strategy Analytics and YouGov.
Before striking out on his own he worked as a Chief Adviser at the BBC and has over 25 years’ experience working as a strategist and a Government Economist advising CEOs, Government ministers and business leaders.
Richard enthusiastically completed two Wavelength programmes, and credits Wavelength with being a key influencer in starting AKAS.
Richard is a Trustee at Mind, the UK’s leading mental health charity, and sits on the Advisory Board of the University of South California’s Media Impacts Project.