About
At AVS Culture Consulting, we understand the crucial role that culture plays in shaping organizations. We believe that culture is not just a set of unwritten rules but a driving force that impacts outcomes and shapes the way things 'get done.' With a focus on practical and bespoke design, we are dedicated to effecting real change in the pattern of working life, helping our clients embed their target culture into the DNA of their firms.
Our Expertise
With a background in finance law, risk management, and cultural change, our team brings a unique blend of skills and experience to the table. We specialize in culture evaluation, target culture assessment, and implementation, working closely with our clients to create tailored strategies that align with their values, behaviors, and desired outcomes. We are adept at navigating the nuance and complexity of organizations, driving change through effective stakeholder management.
Our Commitment to Results
At AVS Culture Consulting, we are not satisfied with merely designing lofty ambitions or pointing out shortcomings. We are dedicated to delivering tangible results. Our focus is on practical implementation, ensuring that the strategies we develop are effectively embedded within organizations. We employ rigorous data analysis and trend monitoring to evaluate the effectiveness of our interventions and make necessary adjustments. Our commitment is to drive cultural change that directly impacts the outcomes our clients seek.
Our Philosophy
We firmly believe that culture drives thinking, behavior, and decision-making. Our approach is rooted in the understanding that if a company's culture does not support its strategy, it will struggle to achieve its strategic objectives. We work collaboratively with our clients, emphasizing the importance of purpose, values, and behaviors in shaping the day-to-day staff experience and driving employee engagement. We are committed to creating psychologically safe spaces and encouraging speaking up, fostering inclusion and cognitive diversity, and aligning these elements with the overall culture.
Our Experience
With over 20 years of experience in law firms and financial services, we have successfully managed legal and reputational risks, designed control frameworks, and implemented cultural change programs. We have supported a wide range of organizations, from international law firms to global investment banks, in navigating the complexities of culture change. Our linguistic skills and in-depth cultural understanding enable us to build strong relationships with internal teams and external clients, ensuring seamless collaboration and meaningful results.
About me
I am a lawyer by background and practised finance law for many years, first for various international law firms and then for a global investment bank, managing legal and reputational risk. I was then asked in 2017 to join a first line of control team to manage conduct risk for the sales and trading division of the bank. My role involved designing and implementing controls for front office, mainly in response to remediation (which affected a very large number of investment banks) but also MiFID 2 regulation protecting customer interests and managing market integrity. It was clear that while the control framework was absolutely essential, it was actually only a starting point as you cannot control everything. What happens where the controls stop, where a control fails or where a control is being subverted? A significant part of my role therefore became culture change as a supplement to controls in line with the FCA’s Transforming Culture in Financial Services agenda, in order to inform the decision-making of staff by reference to expected behaviours, firm values and a principles based approach. In 2021, I resigned from my role and set up my own consultancy to focus on culture change full-time and now support a range of different organisations in this highly complex and nuanced area.
Alexandra Stanton
University of Cambridge, MA Law
Université Libre de Bruxelles
Licence Spéciale en Droit Européen
Phone: 07917 212 322
Mail: info@mysite.com
