Explore Athena’s foresight projects and case studies

Objective: To leverage futures-based and scenario-based methodologies to drive strategic engagements and innovation for Accenture's clients, demonstrating the value of foresight in business strategy.

Outcomes:

Developed and presented futures-based and scenario-based workshop materials at an Accenture Global Innovation Centre, leading to a $30 million strategy engagement.

Combined qualitative storytelling and visualizations with quantitative NLP-based data and trend analysis to create comprehensive workshop materials.

Engaged with C-suite of clients from diverse industries, including a major North American insurance company, an Irish energy company, a French semiconductor company, and a UK bank.

Enabled the French semiconductor client to triple its revenue and profitability through the application of the workshop methodologies.

Objective: To establish Accenture as a thought leader in future business trends by creating and disseminating a comprehensive suite of thought leadership materials that demonstrate the company's forward-thinking vision and expertise.

Outcomes:

Successfully positioned Accenture as a forward-thinking organization through the creation and delivery of the "Business Futures" report for the CEO of Strategy & Consulting.

Utilized diverse research methodologies, including crowdsourcing, workshops, and data science, to inform and shape the report's insights.

Implemented a collaborative working approach to ensure the project was delivered on time and within budget.

Led the development of over 50 marketing materials, including an executive summary and interactive visuals.

Conceived and crafted the narrative for a selection of the Business Futures Signals, covering a range of topics from sustainability to synthetic biology.

Collaborated with data scientists to develop an NLP-based tool to track business trend evolution and prioritize areas for further research, media engagement, and client discussions.

Objective: To help EY reimagine the future of industries, through a series of innovation hacks, involving the prototyping of new concepts driven by the latest signals and trends.

Outcomes:

Contributed new ideas and perspectives on the future of Consumer Products as a Master, i.e. a subject matter expert, to the program run by Hackmasters.

Focused on how technological innovation can enable new business concepts for the industry and contributed to the development of business models to shape new opportunity spaces.

Objective: To provide Accenture's top leadership with actionable insights on macroeconomic trends, enhancing their strategic decision-making and reinforcing the company's thought leadership in economic analysis.

Outcomes:

Advised Accenture’s top leadership on macroeconomic trends affecting business, ensuring they were well-informed on critical economic issues.

Regularly presented economic research insights to a variety of client account teams and senior executive leadership, facilitating informed discussions and strategic planning.

Guided the development of in-house, economics-based points of view, including the creation of an econometric model to assess the impact of AI on economic growth across developed economies.

Managed Accenture’s production of the economic and industry outlook for the CFO and other senior leadership, providing them with a comprehensive understanding of the economic landscape and industry trends.

Objective: To deliver a compelling keynote speech that educates and empowers attendees by highlighting major trends and actionable insights on the future of international development.

Outcomes:

Delivered a keynote speech at the MEDA Annual Corporate Meeting, a Canadian international development organization, focusing on major trends reshaping the sector's future.

Explored topics such as the role of generative AI and broader AI applications, new funding mechanisms in the evolving economics of the sector, and the critical importance of people in embracing and shaping change.

Received a rating of 4.6 out of 5 for the speech, praised for being ‘interesting, relevant with clear messaging,’ and garnered very positive attendee feedback.

Emphasized actionable insights, empowering the audience to act on the future and driving a sense of confidence and motivation among attendees.

Objective: To quantify the dynamic changes organizations face and provide actionable insights through a comprehensive index, establishing Accenture's thought leadership at the World Economic Forum 2024 in Davos.

Outcomes:

Led the "Pulse of Change: 2024 Index" research project for Accenture’s global thought leadership and media platform at the World Economic Forum 2024 in Davos.

Created an index to quantify the change organizations face, identifying clusters of trends driving this change and tracking their evolution over time.

Utilized key economic, business, and technology indicators, including labor productivity, consumer confidence, and IT spending, across six spheres of change: Technology, Talent, Economic, Geopolitical, Climate, and Consumer & Social.

Achieved recognition as the ‘must read’ publication in the Fortune ‘CEO Daily’ newsletter, highlighting the project's impact and relevance in the business community.

Objective: To develop a refreshed strategy and approach for Accenture's Manchester & North-West business, aimed at securing additional investment and fostering local business growth.

Outcomes:

Led research to support the development of a refreshed strategy for Accenture's Manchester & North-West business.

Conducted comprehensive macroeconomic analysis to understand the broader economic environment and its implications for the region.

Performed a SWOT analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats specific to Accenture's Manchester & North-West operations.

Identified key technology hubs and potential partnership opportunities to drive innovation and collaboration.

Positioned the business for increased investment and growth by leveraging detailed research insights and strategic recommendations.

Objective: To develop a comprehensive report on skills that identifies critical skill gaps in the Irish market and provides strategic recommendations for industry and educational partnerships, thereby influencing policy discussions and supporting national economic development goals.

Outcomes:

Led the end-to-end delivery of a comprehensive report on skills, from initial key message ideation through to research design, writing, and stakeholder engagement.

Produced an influential report sponsored by Accenture Ireland’s Country Managing Director, which became a cornerstone of his public speaking engagements.

Highlighted critical skill gaps in the Irish market, providing a detailed analysis of the current landscape.

Proposed strategic recommendations for industry and educational partnerships to bridge identified skill gaps, promoting alignment with national economic development goals.

The report played a significant role in policy discussions, notably featured in a prominent presentation at the IBEC business conference, and influenced key stakeholders in both industry and education sectors.