BKS Consulting

Graham Birkenhead MSc CMC

I now focus on people, process, organization, and culture - essential ingredients for sustainable business.

From my earliest memories I have marvelled at the ingenuity of mankind, been fascinated by the behaviour of people, and felt a deep connection with the natural world around me. I grew up in the Gemini and Apollo era of exploration and technical boundary pushing, I watched people that I was surrounded by as they showed the full range of behaviours from compassion to manipulation, and spent as much time as I could outside exploring and playing. Yet I always looked at human endeavour with a mix of awe at what we achieved, and yet dismay at the way we have changed our world, and the cruelty with which we treat our fellow people and the rest of the animal kingdom. And so, my life choices have always been built around helping people be all that they could, to enjoy the world, and to take care of it – to acknowledge the responsibility that comes with the power of being (as far as we know) the most intelligent creature on earth.

During my early career as a military engineer, I developed expertise in leading change, organizational knowledge and culture, and strategy. And over the past 30 years, I have built up an eclectic mix of management and consultancy skills through field experience. I use these skills to support, coach, and advise clients in implementing the necessary changes for scaling and growth.

My approach to business problems is unique as I adopt a systemic, people-centric, and lean perspective. I have a knack for spotting things that others often miss and excel at identifying the root cause of any issue. I develop creative solutions and processes that leverage the strengths of the organization. With my deep understanding of people and organizations as complex behavioural systems, I help transform the way people work and the way they work together, establishing the cultural and operational foundations for sustainable growth.

I come from the UK, where I gained Master's Degrees in IT from the University of Glasgow and Engineering Business Management from the University of Warwick.

I am a Certified Management Consultant (CMC), and in the UK, I am a Chartered Engineer (CEng).

During my career, I have lectured at master's level and taught underwater using hand signals. And now, I regularly run workshops on subjects such as strategic thinking, risk management, systems thinking, stakeholder engagement, and work simplification.

Beyond my professional pursuits, I have been a life-long outdoor and fitness enthusiast. I have trained, coached, and led both youth and adults in diving, triathlon, and scouting. I am never happier than when on, in, or under the water, on a bike, up a mountain, or in the air.

Currently, one of my major ongoing projects is reducing my environmental impact. I am working on making my house more efficient and low-cost to run. Additionally, I am striving to grow as much of my own food as possible, and rewilding my 3-acres of land by introducing native plants and trees to attract pollinators and wildlife.