Ethics at the heart of Anchoram Consulting’s expansion plans

Local technology consulting firms have an opportunity to educate clients and provide independent advice, even if it means challenging their client’s decisions on artificial intelligence (AI), said Anchoram CEO and cofounder Glenn Ashe. 

In an interview with ARN, Ashe said while AI has good capability, there needs to be a “slower manner” for projects to ensure all the ethical boundaries are in place. 

“Otherwise, it’s going to be retrofitting lots of things that are going to impede privacy and the ability to feel comfortable using it,” he said. “Within the organisation, we don’t want you to use AI for your proposals.  

“We don’t want you to do your reports using AI … we want creative thought. Our clients are paying us to do creative thinking, not to use AI.” 

Ashe explained this was unethical and fraudulent. It was not how the Anchoram was created, and it was the mindset it would take to on its expansion into Canada, announced in May this year. 

“We think we’ve developed something really solid, if you can call it both a product and a methodology, for delivering services,” he said. “We like to describe it like a recipe. 

“You bring the ingredients, we follow the method and we deliver consistent results, using the same approach in other countries that are similar to ours.” 

The firm’s stance on ethics come as the Australian government looks to cut contracting and consulting, aiming to bring more work in-house.  

“Over the next 12 months, they’ll likely push that agenda pretty hard,” he noted. “That means fewer opportunities for external providers like us, at least in the short term.  

“But we know things will shift again, and we’ll need to adapt to continue delivering services the government actually values.” 

What gives Anchoram confidence is that the kind of work it does isn’t easy for the government to handle internally.  

“One of our strengths is that we’re completely agnostic,” he said. “We don’t sell products. We focus on solutions that fit the environment the government is operating in.” 

There are a few reasons for its approach, said Ashe, the main being that its model is scalable, “almost like a franchise”.  

“We also understand the cycle; … business with the federal government may slow down, but it will pick up again once they recognise they still need outside support,” he said. 

That need to work beyond local boarders isn’t new to the consulting firm, with it starting to branch out in India, but Ashe said his goal has always to establish an arm in Canada. 

Since US president Donald Trump has come to power, Anchoram felt there was an opportunity to capitlise on the feelings between Canadians have for Americans and vice versa. 

“We speak the same language, mostly, except for those areas that are French,” he said. “Then, more importantly, we are part of the Five Eyes.” 

On the other side of that was also cross-pollination. Ashe said Anchoram wants to be able to “circle a few countries” and be able to pull some of the best ideas out of that to use in Australia. 

With Ashe’s Canada dream now a reality, he is now looking at South Korea, Malaysia and New Zealand. 

“I had about five on my list that I have to look at and see how we could actually deliver good work and, at the same time, be able to pick their brains for what we can bring back here,” he said. “We’re not the only ones that have great ideas and we’ve got to look further afield.  

“Otherwise, we will just die. We’re not going to run out of ideas – Australia is a very innovative country – but we still can draw good ideas from other countries.” 

This has been part of Anchoram’s ongoing plan, said Ashe. 

“I think the first five years we settled on growing the business,” he said. “Now we are, in the next five years and we want to expand it. We want to do some mergers and acquisitions along the way.” 

According to Ashe, this means no longer being reliant on government contracts.  

“I want to be looking more at a private enterprise. When I come back from Canada, I’ll be looking to try and increase footprint in the private sector,” he said. “I think it’s ambitious, but like everything else, unless you have a dream, it can never become reality.

“There’s a number of things that operate in those guardrails around it go out, be bold, but not bold enough that you’re going to put the business at risk.” 

Anchoram has about 55 people in the company now, and Ashe noted the company was “responsible for their income, their mortgages [and] their children’s education”. 

“We’ll never put that at risk,” he said. “One of our firm beliefs in running our business is that we will never be in a situation where wages are not the first priority. The second priority is to always pay the superannuation levy on time.” 

The IT consultant always wants to make sure that its people are looked after and they’re not going to be in a situation where their income is going to be jeopardised or they are in arrears as far as their superannuation goes. 

“These are ethical or value-driven things, but they’re important to us,” said Ashe. “ 

The reputation of the company is a vital part of Anchoram because ethics, values and looking after people stand for something.