OUR STORY
We formed Acute Incite to focus on the work we’re passionate about—helping executives to build stronger, more resilient organizations that make real differences in the world. Founded by Principals Tony Brown and Piers Bocock, Acute Incite brings together a wealth of experience advising organizations from private and public sectors, enabling them to develop, grow and achieve greater impact. Having built (and sold) organizations ourselves, we understand the challenges facing leaders.
We have advised executives across the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, bilateral and multilateral international development organizations, universities, non-profit organizations and small businesses. Our subject matter expertise ranges from Biometrics and Identity Management to R&D portfolio management; global health and economic development to climate change. Our functional expertise includes strategic planning, organizational development, stakeholder engagement, public relations, knowledge management, and adaptive management. We have grown and managed organizations with 75+ personnel and multi-million dollars in revenue. We have worked in more than 30 countries.
OUR APPROACH
We approach every engagement as a partnership where our success is gauged by your success. We work with you to define specific, measurable outcomes; we assess the status quo to identify strengths, weaknesses, risks and opportunities; we leverage our extensive network of experts to develop options that are informed, nuanced and actionable; we listen to you and your workforce to understand what has worked, what hasn’t, and what ideas they have. Armed with all the analysis and information, we develop action-oriented plans that have clear milestones and performance metrics. We stand with you to deploy these plans and manage the cultural changes required to maximize success. We incorporate lessons learned and help you develop learning structures to maintain positive momentum. And when all is said and done, we stand back and applaud your success for a job well done.
Our Values
These values aren't just words on a page. They direct our decision making, are the basis of hiring, and are what we measure ourselves against in our quarterly staff evaluations.
Benevolence
We strive to create a world-class organization that can have a positive impact on the world, in how we operate our organization, mentor and support our staff, and partner with our clients. We are passionate about our work and productivity, and equally passionate about having fun while we do it. We support a balance between delivering results and having a life.
Collaboration
Collaboration is part of our DNA. We approach it with humility and an appreciation for our colleagues’ diverse skills and perspectives. We want all team members, regardless of title or position, to feel empowered to contribute. We believe in working together to produce more than we could do individually. We celebrate our collective results over individual accolades.
Innovation
We bring real value to our clients by solving challenges with innovative ideas, creative approaches, and diverse experience. We have a commitment to ongoing learning and flexibility that allows us to adapt to changing conditions and new opportunities. We bring a growth mindset to our interactions as a team and with our clients, facilitating continuous improvement in all we do.
Integrity
We approach our work with an attitude of trust, respect, and humility. We put our clients’ needs at the center of our work and consciously build safe, open spaces for honest conversations.
Openness
We care about the people we work with, support and appreciate each other, and create an environment in which our team members feel safe to speak up. We always have each others’ back. We remain open and teachable, willing to listen and consider ideas that may challenge our own thinking. In all we do, we value being able to share opinions and ideas, hear alternative perspectives, and take mitigated risks that yield breakthrough results.
OUR FOUNDERS
Piers Bocock
Piers is a proven and sought-after thought leader in the fields of Adaptive Management/Collaborating, Learning and Adapting (CLA), Knowledge Management, and leadership development. Working with some of the world’s largest donors, foundations, and consulting firms, he has helped create dynamic teams and creative solutions in a variety of sectors, including economic development, global health, agriculture, and natural resource management. He has professional experience in more than 30 countries across 5 continents, and holds an associate faculty position at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, within the Department of Health, Behavior and Society, for which he has been acknowledged multiple times for “Excellence in Teaching.”
Piers is the father of four sons and an avid runner. He holds a B.A. in Film and Communications from McGill University and an M.B.A in Global Strategy and Marketing from Georgetown University.
Tony Brown
With 26 years of public and private sector experience, Tony is both a trusted advisor to executive management teams and a successful entrepreneur. He has spent the last 18 years advising and coaching senior leaders from government and industry to grow their organizations and achieve breakthrough results. Tony has worked with national security organizations across DoD, FBI, and DHS with an emphasis on identity management, biometrics, and military R&D. Concurrently, Tony has built 4 independent, community-focused small businesses. He understands intimately the challenges facing growing organizations and their leadership teams. He has extensive experience in facilitating leadership workshops, building stakeholder strategies and developing targeted campaigns to achieve specific, measurable outcomes.
Tony is a father of four daughters, a trained chef, an avid outdoorsman, and a recovering marathon runner. He holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Cornell University and an M.B.A in Global Strategy and Marketing from Georgetown University.
OUR TEAM
Eric Friesth
Meredith Brown
Meredith Brown
Eric has fifteen years of experience in program management, including extensive experience managing large-scale projects. He is skilled in using adaptive management approaches and managing contracts in a variety of technical areas.
Meredith Brown
Meredith Brown
Meredith Brown
Meredith is an experienced event manager and coordinator with experience working as a government contractor in the information technology and services industry. She is skilled in event planning, facilitation, management, knowledge management, marketing, and data analysis.
Amy Leo
Meredith Brown
Mike Heffner
Amy has over ten years of experience developing and implementing communications and change management strategies that result in individual and organizational behavior change.
Mike Heffner
Martina Mascarenhas
Mike Heffner
Mike is a graphic designer who provides on-demand graphics and communication support for many of our clients and partners.
Martina Mascarenhas
Martina Mascarenhas
Martina Mascarenhas
Martina is a communications specialist working in the field of sustainable development with a focus on raising the profile of gender research and social inclusion.
PARTNERS AND RESOURCES
Chris Collison
World-renowned expert in KM and organizational learning, Chris is the founder of Knowledgeable Ltd, and author of "Learning to Fly" and “The KM Cookbook”.
He is a frequent collaborator on Acute Incite efforts involving KM Strategy, Communities of Practice and Facilitation.