Clear priorities
You know what matters most and what to let go.
LEADERSHIP FOR A MORE HUMAN AND HIGH-PERFORMING WORLD
One direction.
Every level.
Coaching, masterminds and culture work that get your leaders and teams pulling the same way.
Led by Ashim Kumar · 25+ years of leadership experience
ASHIM KUMARExecutive coach & leadership adviser
Trusted by leaders at
Boeing · Coca-Cola · Johnson & Johnson · IKEA · Philip Morris · Jeppesen · Sony Pictures
THE CHALLENGE
A shared vision means nothing
if everyone walks a different way.
Alignment can look convincing in a meeting. The real test is what happens afterwards.
Does this sound familiar?
- Your leadership team agrees in the meeting, then everyone goes off and does something different.
- Your best people were promoted for their technical skill and then left to work out leadership alone.
- Good people are leaving, and you're not sure why.
In ACCA’s 2026 survey of 11,389 finance professionals, 52% expected their next job to be with another employer and 41% said organisational culture had become less clear.
THREE WAYS TO MOVE FORWARD
Different challenges.
One direction.
Choose the work that matches where you are today.
01 / WHAT WE DO
Lead with clarity
Get clear on your direction, your priorities and how you want to lead, one-to-one or with your leadership team.
Explore Coaching ↗02 / WHAT WE DO
Solve your hardest problem
Bring a real challenge to a private group of 7 to 9 senior leaders. Leave every session with a clear next step.
Explore Masterminds ↗03 / WHAT WE DO
Make your direction everyone’s
Turn your values into everyday behaviour, so teams make the right call when no leader is in the room.
Explore Culture Transformation ↗HOW IT FITS TOGETHER
From clarity at the top to culture everywhere.
Leadership only works when the direction reaches further than the people who set it.
Explore Culture Transformation01
Clarity
You and your leaders know where you’re going.
02
One direction
Your leadership team says and does the same thing.
03
Culture
Managers and teams live it every day.
EXPERIENCE THAT COUNTS
Trusted by leaders.
Tested in the real world.
25+
Years working with leaders
100+
Clients across industries
Global
Firms and growing businesses
Our senior team has supplemented their leadership ‘toolbox’ and are now better equipped to take advantage of the opportunities that change will offer.
I would strongly recommend Ashim to both individuals and organisations seeking to enhance their leadership capabilities and drive strategic development.
Ashim has a talent to unlock your strength.
AKA LEADERSHIP / INSIGHTSTHE
COACHING
GAPResearch insights and a five-minute leadership scorecardAK.
COACHING
GAPResearch insights and a five-minute leadership scorecardAK.
THE FREE LEADERSHIP REPORT
Is coaching reaching
your people?
Get The Coaching Gap, a short report on what ACCA learned from 735 finance professionals. Includes a 10-question scorecard you can finish in five minutes.
Get the free reportASHIM KUMAR / THE PERSON BEHIND AKA
WHY I DO THIS
I’ve carried the targets.
I’ve led the teams.
I know the pressure.
I’m an FCCA, and I’ve led two businesses: as Executive Director for EY in the Middle East and North Africa, and as Managing Director of ATC International.
For over 25 years I’ve worked with leaders in global organisations and growing businesses. Again and again, I meet brilliant people who were promoted for their technical skill and then left to work out leadership on their own.
I do this work so fewer people have to do it alone.
Read Ashim’s story ↗START A CONVERSATION
Let’s talk about where you want to go
In 30 minutes we’ll look at where you are now, where the gap is, and whether I can help. If I can’t, I’ll tell you.
Book your free 30-minute callONE-TO-ONE & LEADERSHIP TEAM COACHING
Think clearly.
Lead with confidence.
One-to-one and group coaching for senior leaders who want sharper decisions, a stronger team and more time for what matters.
THE CHALLENGE
You know the business.
Now everyone needs you to lead.
Leadership changes the job. You are no longer measured only by what you do. You are measured by what others achieve because of how you lead.
- You were promoted for what you know. Now you are judged on how you lead.
- Your days go on fighting fires, with no time to think about direction.
- You are facing a hard conversation, a big change or a decision you cannot take back.
- Your team works hard but does not pull together.
WHAT CHANGES
A better way to lead.
And proof that it works.
Confidence under pressure
Handle hard conversations and big decisions calmly.
Time back
Delegate more and firefight less.
People who follow you
Build trust through what your team sees you do.
Measured change
Agree goals at the start and assess the difference at the end.
WORKING TOGETHER
Personal growth.
Collective progress.
One-to-one coaching
Private sessions built around your goals. Bring the real issues, uncover your own answers, and commit to the actions that move you forward.
Weekly or fortnightly · 3, 6 or 12 months
Group and leadership team coaching
Your leaders work through real challenges together and leave saying and doing the same thing. Especially useful for a new leadership team, a merger or a change of direction.
Real situations · Shared accountability
THE PROCESS
Four steps. Real change.
01
Free 30-minute call
We look at where you are, where you want to be and whether coaching is right for you.
02
Agree your goals
Set clear objectives, with HR or your manager involved if appropriate.
03
Regular sessions
You set the agenda. Each session ends with one clear action.
04
Measure the change
A before and after check shows what colleagues actually experience differently.
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
Space to think.
Clarity to act.
I will always refer to him and resort to him when I feel blocked or stuck, because the reflection and awareness reached during the sessions with him were key for me to move forward.
In my role, I can lead by creating clarity, building trust, and influencing stakeholders across Finance, Controlling, project teams, and management so that better decisions are made.
FREQUENT QUESTIONS
Useful answers before we speak.
Can my company pay for this?+
Yes. We can build a short business case with goals and measures for your HR team.
Online or in person?+
Either. Many clients mix the two.
How is this different from training?+
Training gives everyone the same content. Coaching starts with your situation, so the change is yours.
START A CONVERSATION
Ready to lead with more clarity?
In 30 minutes, we will look at where you are now, where the gap is, and whether I can help. If I can’t, I’ll tell you.
Book your free 30-minute callAKA LEADERSHIP / INSIGHTSTHE
COACHING
GAPResearch insights and a five-minute leadership scorecardAK.
COACHING
GAPResearch insights and a five-minute leadership scorecardAK.
THE FREE LEADERSHIP REPORT
Is coaching reaching
your people?
Get The Coaching Gap, a short report on what ACCA learned from 735 finance professionals. Includes a 10-question scorecard you can finish in five minutes.
Get the free reportCULTURE TRANSFORMATION
Make your direction
everyone’s direction.
You’ve set a clear direction at the top. Now make it the way everyone thinks, decides and acts, even when no leader is in the room.
RECOGNISE THIS?
A plan at the top.
A different reality below.
Your culture is not what is written on the wall. It is the choices people make when no leader is present.
- Your leadership team agrees on a plan, but it looks different by the time it reaches the front line.
- Your values are on the wall, but not in the decisions people make.
- Managers tell people what to do instead of helping them think.
- Change takes too long, and good people leave.
THE OUTCOME
Culture becomes a way of working.
One message
Leaders say and model the same thing.
Better decisions
People know what good looks like and act without waiting.
Managers who coach
Teams solve more of their own problems.
Faster change
People understand the why and get behind the how.
People who stay
Clarity and fairness help teams thrive.
OUR APPROACH
From Clarity to Culture.
01
See it clearly
Understand how your culture actually works today. Compare leadership’s view with the experience of people across the organisation.
02
Agree it together
Agree one direction and turn values into visible everyday behaviours, building on what already works.
03
Make it everyday
Give managers coaching habits, embed the direction in everyday routines and measure progress.
You keep every tool and habit we build together.
WORKSHOPS
Skills that carry the direction through.
Manager as Coach
Questions that help teams think for themselves.
Leading Through Change
Build understanding, ownership and momentum.
Difficult Conversations
Honest feedback that builds trust.
Leading Without Authority
Influence across functions and borders.
Strategic Clarity
Decisions under pressure, tied to what matters most.
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
What changes in practice.
An interactive process, using real-world examples, delivered with enthusiasm, made for an interesting and valuable engagement with tangible outcomes.
A very engaging and thought-provoking workshop with practical insights that can be applied immediately.
Sometimes we complain about not achieving the results but don’t ask ourselves what aspect fails, exactly where the change is needed. By breaking down the problem and identifying on granular level, it is easier to come up with solutions.
TRY THIS BEFORE WE TALK
Ask three leaders to describe your culture in one word.
Do you get one word, or three?
Let’s talk about the gapSTART A CONVERSATION
Let’s talk about where you want to go
In 30 minutes we’ll look at where you are now, where the gap is, and whether I can help. If I can’t, I’ll tell you.
Book your free 30-minute callTHE EXECUTIVE MASTERMIND CLUB
Your hardest problem.
Ten sharp minds.
Bring a real challenge to a private group of senior leaders who have faced it before. Leave with clear options and a plan you will actually follow through on.
THE REALITY
The higher you go,
the fewer people you can ask.
You need people who understand your pressure, but who have no agenda in your organisation.
- A strategic decision you cannot easily share with your own team.
- Too many perspectives from people too close to the issue.
- A good idea that never quite becomes action.
- The burden of carrying the decision alone.
THE VALUE
Peers who challenge you.
Action that stays with you.
Fresh thinking
Seven to nine senior leaders from different industries and countries.
A place for candour
Every member signs a confidentiality agreement.
Decisions that stick
One clear action and a date, with follow through next session.
Trusted relationships
Connect with leaders who carry similar pressure.
Stronger judgement
Helping peers solve their challenges improves your own thinking.
THE 90-MINUTE FORMAT
A disciplined conversation.
Not another networking call.
01
Bring the real challenge
One member presents the situation and their desired outcome.
02
Questions first
The group gets to the heart of the issue before offering views.
03
Think in silence
A few minutes of quiet reflection.
04
Focused input
Each leader offers a different, practical perspective.
05
Commit to action
One action, one deadline, accountability at the next meeting.
Online every two weeks · Carefully curated, invitation-only groups · 3, 6 or 12-month membership
BEYOND THE SCREENRoom to
think bigger.
think bigger.
EMC RETREATS
Some conversations are better had face to face.
Once or twice a year, members are invited to step away from the office, the inbox and the daily pressure for a few remarkable days together.
Deepen trusted relationships, work on the next chapter of leadership and return with new perspective and energy.
Optional · EMC members only · Limited places
Ask about the next retreatWHAT MEMBERS SAY
A different kind of room.
The most important and valuable for me was the construction of our group. Managers from different professions, with different levels of experience and different types of organisation.
Ashim’s facilitating skills were priceless especially while talking about difficult matters.
A wonderful platform to expand my cross-border network in a relaxed, welcoming, yet thoroughly professional environment.
START A CONVERSATION
See what a confidential group can unlock.
Apply for a free Teaser session and decide afterwards.
Apply for a free Teaser sessionACCA STRATEGIC BUSINESS LEADER
Pass SBL
with confidence.
Two expert tutors, one proven approach. Exam technique, practice and personal feedback that turn what you know into marks.
BEYOND REVISION
Knowing the content is not enough.
Passing SBL demands judgement, exam technique and the confidence to apply what you know under pressure.
- You know the technical content, but your answers do not score.
- You have failed SBL before and do not want to repeat the mistakes.
- You are juggling work, family and study.
- You go into the exam hoping, rather than knowing, you are ready.
TWO TUTORS. ONE GOAL.
Your pass.
Ashim Kumar FCCA
ACCA SBL Expert Tutor. Former Executive Director at EY (MENA) and Managing Director of ATC International. Over 30 years teaching ACCA.
Adam Yannakakis ACCA
Exam strategy specialist with over 15 years in finance and ICF certified coaching experience. Exam mindset, structure and accountability.
HOW YOU PREPARE
From uncertainty
to exam ready.
01
State. Explain. Apply.
Learn how to turn an idea into points that earn marks.
02
The “So what?” test
Connect every recommendation to the case in front of you.
03
Individual support
Personal guidance and feedback show exactly what and how to improve.
04
Confidence on the day
Walk into the exam knowing your process.
STUDENT EXPERIENCE
Learning that changes the result.
I went from feeling overwhelmed to feeling truly exam-ready and entered my exam with confidence.
I had taken SBL exams a number of times and failed to pass but through your guidance this time, I made it.
At the day of the exam, I wasn’t stressed at all because of how well you prepared us for this.
START A CONVERSATION
Ready to prepare differently?
Get in touch to find out when the next SBL Mastery Accelerator with Ashim and Adam starts.
Book your free 30-minute callMEET ASHIM KUMAR
I’ve led businesses.
Now I help leaders
lead theirs.
You get a coach who has carried the targets, the team and the pressure himself and knows what it takes to pull people in one direction.
ASHIM KUMAR / 25+ YEARS OF LEADERSHIP
MY STORY
Strategy is the easy part.
People are the work.
I started my career in finance and qualified as a chartered accountant. Then I moved into leadership, first as Managing Director of ATC International and later as Executive Director for EY in the Middle East and North Africa.
Those roles taught me that strategy is the easy part. The hard part is getting everyone to understand it, believe in it and act on it.
For over 25 years I’ve worked with leaders at organisations such as Boeing, Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson, Philip Morris and IKEA, as well as growing businesses. I’m based in Poland and work with leaders worldwide.
I do this work so fewer people have to work leadership out alone.
THE EXPERIENCE
Business experience.
Not just a coaching certificate.
Former Executive Director, EY Middle East and North Africa
Former Managing Director, ATC International
Lead Faculty, Executive MBA, Gdańsk University of Technology
John Maxwell Certified Leadership Coach, Trainer and Speaker
FCCA · Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
MBA · City St. George's, University of London
LEADING TALKS
Good leaders are
always learning.
In the Leading Talks series, I interview leaders around the world about how they lead, what they’ve learned and what they would do differently.
Visit Ashim’s YouTube channel ↗LEADING TALKS
Learn faster.
“
Listen more.Learn faster.
START A CONVERSATION
Let’s talk about where you want to go
In 30 minutes we’ll look at where you are now, where the gap is, and whether I can help. If I can’t, I’ll tell you.
Book your free 30-minute callA FREE LEADERSHIP REPORT
Is coaching reaching
your people?
Get The Coaching Gap, a free short report for leaders, drawing on research with 735 finance professionals and including a five-minute leadership scorecard.
Request your copy ↗AKA LEADERSHIP / INSIGHTSTHE
COACHING
GAPResearch insights and a five-minute leadership scorecardAK.
COACHING
GAPResearch insights and a five-minute leadership scorecardAK.
INSIDE THE REPORT
Five minutes to a clearer view.
The findings
What the original research revealed and why it matters now.
What leading firms did
How organisations such as KPMG and EY approached coaching.
How to measure it
Four practical steps to assess whether development is working.
The scorecard
Ten questions to see where your organisation stands.
GET YOUR FREE COPY
Start with your own organisation.
Built for CEOs, CFOs, people leaders and managers who want practical development they can measure.
Ashim emails your copy personally, usually within one working day. Your details are only used to send it and, if you choose, occasional leadership insights.
Request The Coaching Gap
THANK YOU
Your request is in.
Ashim will email the report to you personally, usually within one working day. In the meantime, you are welcome to book a free call.
START A CONVERSATION
Let’s talk about where you want to go
In 30 minutes we’ll look at where you are now, where the gap is, and whether I can help. If I can’t, I’ll tell you.
Book your free 30-minute callLET’S TALK
Let’s talk about
where you want to go.
The quickest way to start is a free 30-minute call. We will look at where you are, where the gap is, and whether I can help.
Book a free 30-minute callOTHER WAYS TO REACH ME
A real conversation
starts here.
EMAILashim@aka-lead.com ↗
PHONE / WHATSAPP+48 512 076 400 ↗
LOCATION
Based in Poland. Working with leaders worldwide, online and in person.
Send Ashim a message
Your message comes straight to Ashim. Your details are only used to reply to you.
AKA LEADERSHIP / INSIGHTSTHE
COACHING
GAPResearch insights and a five-minute leadership scorecardAK.
COACHING
GAPResearch insights and a five-minute leadership scorecardAK.
THE FREE LEADERSHIP REPORT
Is coaching reaching
your people?
Get The Coaching Gap, a short report on what ACCA learned from 735 finance professionals. Includes a 10-question scorecard you can finish in five minutes.
Get the free reportTHANK YOU
Thank you for getting in touch.
Ashim will reply to you personally, usually within two working days. If you would rather talk now, book a free 30-minute call.
Privacy
This website is run by Ashim Kumar, trading as AKA Leadership, based in Poland. If you have any questions about your personal data, email ashim@aka-lead.com.
What we collect and why
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Legal basis
We use your details because you asked us to (to reply to you or send you a report), and for occasional emails only where you have agreed.
How long we keep it
We keep enquiries for as long as needed to deal with them and any work that follows. Subscribers stay on our list until they unsubscribe.
Your rights
You can ask to see, correct or delete your data, or object to how we use it, by emailing ashim@aka-lead.com. You can also complain to the Polish data protection authority (UODO).
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