About Kara

Bespoke Change Agents for Ambitious Organisations.

We’re a safe pair of hands, after all we are The Change Agents.

Based in Dublin Ireland, Dubai in UAE and New Jersey in the USA, we work around the world, tailoring solutions that are practical and commercially focused – for organisations of all sizes.​

For more than 30 years, Kara has worked with some of the world’s most iconic organisations to drive meaningful, measurable change. From global brands like Toyota, Selfridges, and Emirates Insurance and First Abu Dhabi Bank, to scaling disruptors and public sector leaders, we’ve helped organisations align their people, sharpen their strategy, and transform with confidence.

We are known for making the complex simple and cutting through the noise. Whether it’s aligning your leadership team, refreshing your culture, improving execution, or reconnecting with your customers, Kara offers structured, commercially-focused transformation. Based in Dublin and Dubai, we serve clients globally.

book a free initial discover call

Who We Are

We are not just consultants. We are transformation partners, educators, speakers, and hands-on facilitators. Led by Alan O’Neill, creator of The 7-Steps to profit™ and a global keynote speaker on organisational health and culture, our team combines academic insight with real-world impact.

Our work is shaped by three principles:

  • Think Customer

  • Be Honest but Empathic

  • Be Commercial and Practical

  • Learn new stuff

How we work

We begin with a conversation, often a diagnostic using the Kara 7+ Index™. From there, we co-design a journey tailored to your unique challenges and ambitions. Whether it’s a 1-day workshop or a 12-month programme, we guide your team using our 7-Steps to Profit™ framework:

  • Ambition – Find your North Star
  • Culture – Shape your organisational heartbeat
  • Strategy – Define your roadmap
  • People – Build high-performing teams
  • Customer – Reconnect with your market
  • Proposition – Clarify your USP
  • Execution – Deliver with discipline

Our Signature System

The Kara 7 Steps to Profit™ is our proprietary framework. Used by brands like Moët Hennessy, Primark, Airbus, and Harrods

Along with 7 Steps to Profit Survey ™ our organisational health diagnostic. It’s your business x-ray, showing where you are strong and where to focus next. It’s a proven tool that turns insight into action.

Why We Do This

We believe every business has the potential to grow stronger. Not just bigger, but more aligned, more engaged and more effective. We exist to support leaders in unlocking that potential. Because in a world full of noise, the organisations that thrive are the ones that are clear, connected, and confident.

Trusted by Brands Around the World

  • Retail: Selfridges, Primark, Dubai Duty Free

  • Tech & Telecoms: Google, Intel, BT, Dassault Systemes

  • Financial Services: First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), AIB, Swedbank, Emirates Insurance

  • Public Sector: United Nations, Central Bank, DVLA UK

  • Manufacturing & FMCG: Airbus, Toyota, Glanbia.

Whether you’re a billion-dollar brand or a bold new challenger, if you’re ready to grow with purpose, Kara is your safe pair of hands.

Let’s talk.

Client Testimonials

“Having made a number of acquisitions in recent years, we prioritized culture as the golden thread to bring all businesses together. Kara navigated us in embracing and tailoring the guiding principles outlined in this book. They have made a big impact on our customers and our own teams.”
Jan Patrick Schulz
CEO Landbell Group
“As one of the oldest companies in Dubai, heritage and culture is very important to us. The values outlined by Kara resonate with us too. We put customers at the heart of all we do and we pride ourselves on our great people. As a leader in a fast-moving industry, we must continue to be agile in order to sustain our success.”
Tarek El Sakka, CEO Dubai Refreshments
“In the 21st century, Culture has changed its spelling. Kulcha is the escape from Culture. It’s local. It’s informal. It’s grassroots digital. And it’s gender-less. I have known Alan for 20 years and worked side by side with him on a number of projects. His passion for people and culture flows through these pages. I have seen first-hand how he influences the leaders of iconic brands to put customer and people first. He gets it!”
Paco Underhill, Author, Speaker, Observer, Traveller, New York
book a free initial discovery call

Our Team

Over the last 30 years, Kara has worked with 300+ companies... from startups to global brands... refining a framework to identify and solve organisational challenges.

Alan O'Neill

CEO & Head Consultant
A seasoned expert with 30 years’ experience facilitating organisational change in culture and strategy. Alan has helped global giants to dramatically grow profit, from Selfridge’s to IKEA, the UN to UPS.

Dean Tobin

Chief Commercial Officer With a background in Law and Environmental Consultancy, Dean brings extensive expertise in business growth, leveraging innovative marketing and sales strategies to drive success.