Athena Peppes, AI speaker, adviser and author of AI-Q

Athena helps senior leaders close the gap between AI investment and returns

Athena Peppes is an economist and futurist who advises senior leaders and speaks internationally on AI leadership and the future of work, including at SXSW and the Global Marketing Summit. She spent over a decade at Accenture, working with Fortune 500 companies. She is Director at Beacon Thought Leadership and Head of AI Research at BossUp.AI.

Her research has featured at global forums including the World Economic Forum and B20 and published in Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review. She is the author of AI-Q: The New Leadership Imperative for the Human + AI Era.

Athena is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) and holds an MSc in Economics from the University of York. She lives in London with her husband and son.

You can find a bit more about her advisory and speaking work below.

Advisory

More than 15 years of experience advising senior executives on emerging trends across industries including automotive, insurance, consumer goods, energy, consulting and government.
Co-founder of Beacon Thought Leadership, which delivers economic research and modelling for clients including Pearson.
Spent over a decade at Accenture, advising Fortune 500 companies and public institutions.
Co-founded Accenture’s Business Futures workshop approach, used at innovation hubs to inspire executive teams into action. It led to strategy engagements worth at least $30m and helped a semiconductor company triple its revenue and profitability.
Contributed to 50+ reports, articles and points of view on topics related to the future of business.
Featured insights at global forums including the World Economic Forum, B20, W20, IBEC and the CBI.
Published in outlets including MIT Sloan Management Review, Harvard Business Review, Rotman Magazine, Thunderbird International Business Review and The European Business Review.

Speaking

Speaking engagements at international conferences and leadership forums, including:
- SXSW
- Global Marketing Summit
- KIMRA Conference
- The Forward Institute
- Rialto Board Briefings
Audiences have included senior leaders from organisations such as BCG, BT, Bupa, Centrica, EY, Fortnum & Mason, Microsoft, Nationwide, Primark, Virgin and government departments.
Regular radio and business podcast guest, exploring what AI and emerging technologies really mean for everyday life and business.

AI-Q book

Advisory

Speaking

“A standout theme in AI-Q is the widening gap between access to AI tools and true understanding of those tools among senior leaders, who must nonetheless oversee their use.

I found especially valuable its call to treat scepticism as a strength rather than resistance, encouraging leaders to rigorously test vendor claims against real business needs.”

Oxana Kozliouk, Chief Risk Officer, United Bank for Africa (UK) Ltd.

“I was pleased to contribute to this book. Athena brings together research, practical frameworks, and insights from experts across different industries to help leaders navigate the opportunities and challenges of the Human+AI era.

If you are interested in AI, leadership, organisational readiness, or how to turn AI investments into meaningful outcomes, this book is well worth adding to your reading list.”

Thomas Baumgartner, Chief Financial Officer, Voestalpine Metsec Plc

“Athena is a forward thinker, who is able to translate complex ideas into accessible and relevant insights for business.”

Jess Majekodunmi, Managing Director, Accenture

“Smart, commercially grounded and genuinely engaging.

Highly recommend booking her for events, leadership teams or company sessions if you want someone who can make people properly think.”

Paul Armstrong, CEO, TBD Group and TBD Conference

“Athena was a fabulous conference Chair for KIMRA Conference. Athena is a talented insight professional able to understand and articulate how complex technology megatrends may impact across a range of nuanced topics.”

Simon Burton, Managing Director, KIMRA Conference

“Executives and senior decision makers will sigh with relief from the first page of this much-needed book, which offers actionable insights and practical advice to deliver measurable value across organisations in the age of AI.”

Dr. Stephanie Hare, Host of BBC AI Decoded, Author of "Technology Is Not Neutral: A Short Guide to Technology Ethics"

“We asked Athena to speak at our AI event for financial services leaders based on her invaluable insights from interviewing leaders for her book. She was outstanding at sharing relevant stories and shifting perspectives on the role we play as humans in the advancement and adoption of AI.”

Andy Ayim MBE, "AI, Humans and the Future of Financial Services" host

Areas of expertise

Athena’s work sits at the intersection of AI leadership, economics and strategic foresight, helping senior leaders understand what emerging technology means for how they lead, make decisions and create value.

AI leadership

How leaders need to adapt their decision-making, capabilities and ways of working as AI becomes embedded in organisations.

AI readiness and business value

Why AI adoption does not automatically translate into returns, and what leaders can do to close the gap between AI investment and measurable value.

Human + AI collaboration

How leaders decide what to delegate to AI, where human judgement remains critical, and how human and machine intelligence can work together effectively.