Big thinkers. Innovative creators. Bold doers.
People
Orla Harkin
Director
Orla Harkin is a leading strategic business consultant and social futurist dedicated to helping business leaders, policy makers, NGOs and individuals solve the uncertainty of the future.
Her unique ability to disrupt thinking, harness transformation and shape governance has led her to drive high profile change programmes; including delivering the first major fresh water policy changes in 20 years and managing major independent review into the criminal justice system in New Zealand.
Raised and educated in Belfast, Orla began her career as a Barrister specialising in personal injury and criminal law. Today, based in New Zealand, with a far reaching global network, Orla is a proud member of the Irish diaspora. She is an enthusiastic spokesperson for the power of identity and how people and communities can tap into a global culture by helping people better understand their history and the value inherent in their differences.
Outside of work, Orla is mum to a young Irish-Kiwi, travels widely and throws herself wholeheartedly into poetry, literature and the arts.
Orla will help you define opportunity, craft your strategy, involve your people, mobilise change and ensure your governance arrangements are fit for purpose.
Rachael Lowe
Relationship Manager
With nearly 30 years in both public, private and the international development sectors, Rachael has significant experience in constructing operational frameworks, and keeping people and work aligned with cultural, organisational and project outcomes.
Having consulted in diverse organisational settings in rural and urban Cambodia, Indonesia and India, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, Rachael brings organisational culture and business efficiency together for optimum cohesion. Most recently, Rachael has assisted government agencies in workplace adaptation and technological advances in new ways of working. Other notable work includes building organisational capacity in Cambodia and India, resulting in improved service delivery to beneficiaries, saving lives and livelihoods.
Rachael is a native kiwi raised in South Auckland. Of a global disposition, she teaches spirituality and yoga internationally, and is progressing an international project to have her theatre script, shortlisted for Best Play in NZ 2019, performed by refugee theatre groups and incorporated into the educational system.
Rachael manages the flow of communication between you and us, and is a master of coordination ensuring we keep up the momentum as we get the job done.
John Jackson
Consultant
A global citizen and leading voice for transformation, John has extensive experience in business and regulatory design in the banking and government sectors in the UK, USA, Hong Kong and New Zealand. Most recently, John has assisted government agencies in the transformation of their operations and service delivery, such as the digitisation of driver licensing protocols for the NZ Government. Other notable work includes the implementation of a global customer and profitability information system for a major US bank and a capital adequacy reporting system for HSBC.
Of Austrian and English descent, John was raised in London. He is enthusiastic and flexible in his approach, and slips easily into diverse and complex work environments. Outside of work John spends his time in pursuit of the best eateries, developing his two-acre seaside garden and communing with his young granddaughter.
John will work alongside you to question, challenge and define problems and opportunities within the broadest possible context of your organisation’s mission, goals and culture. He is particularly adept at ‘getting under the hood’ of a business and working with employees, customers and stakeholders to effect change through the co-design of new processes.
