Turn AI investment into AI returns by raising your AI-Q

Athena Peppes is an economist and futurist who helps boards and leadership teams get measurable value from AI, through keynotes, advisory work and workshops.

Book Athena to speak Explore advisory

Athena Peppes helps senior leaders close the gap between AI investment and AI returns, by boosting their AI-Q.

She is co-founder and Director at Beacon Thought Leadership and Head of AI Research at BossUp.AI.

Her book AI-Q: The New Leadership Imperative for the Human + AI Era is out on 12 January 2027.

Athena has more than 15 years’ experience advising senior executives across industries and spent over a decade at Accenture, working with Fortune 500 companies and public institutions.

She is an AI leadership keynote speaker at international conferences and leadership forums, with appearances at SXSW, the Global Marketing Summit, KIMRA, Rialto’s Board Briefing series. Her audiences include senior leaders from BT, Bupa, Centrica, EY, Nationwide, Primark, Virgin and UK government departments.

About Athena Contact Athena

Advisory

For boards and executive teams making big decisions about AI. Athena helps leaders work out where AI creates value, what needs to change and what waiting costs.

AI-Q Leadership assessment * Strategic Advisory * Leadership workshops

Speaking

For conference organisers and leadership teams who want a session that changes how the audience thinks and acts. Athena’s talks are grounded in original research and the realities of your industry.

Keynotes * Media * Podcasts

Discover how you can boost your own AI-Q

AI-Q: The new leadership imperative for the Human + AI era

What is AI-Q?

AI-Q is a leader’s capability to create value in a world where human and machine intelligence work together. It has three dimensions that reinforce each other: Mindsets, Abilities and Practices (MAP).

This book is for you if you want to:

Assess your current leadership capability with AI (AI-Q)
Boost your AI-Q using a personalised plan
Learn from the on-the-ground experience of other leaders
Lead confidently and get better results from your AI investments

High AI-Q leaders were three times as likely to report a quantified business outcome from AI in the last twelve months.

“AI-Q is not another book about technology… This is a book about people… Athena provides a humble, timely and thoughtful guide for those of us seeking to navigate new possibilities wisely.”

Dr Angela WilkinsonSecretary General and CEO, World Energy Council

Find out more

“AI does not only change what leaders do, but also what leadership itself means… AI-Q gives you a real way to build new leadership capability in yourself, and just as importantly, in the people you lead.”

Nikki Humphrey, Chief People Officer, Virgin Group

“Overall, it is a book that urges leaders to slow down, think critically, and take responsibility in a space too often driven by hype. It made me think, and is this not the main purpose of a good book?”

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

“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

“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

“Athena is a forward thinker, who is able to translate complex ideas into accessible and relevant insights for business. She brings a top class research and strategic foresight skillset, and is always a delight to work with.”

Jess Majekodunmi, Managing Director, Accenture

“Athena offers a timely and honest take on why a more robust kind of leadership is needed to unlock value from the very technology that is challenging the core of human intelligence.”

Dr Vedrana Savic, Associate Professor, Deakin Business School; Managing Director, Taurus Strategic Advisory

Book a discovery call

Contact Athena

The Athenian Intelligence newsletter

Research-led insight on AI leadership, the future of work and the economy - for leaders who want signal, not hype. From Athena Peppes, author of AI-Q.

"*" indicates required fields