Our Story
Anthony began his professional journey in the automotive industry, working as an analyst, buyer, and later in new product introduction.
In 2004, he was recruited by Capgemini, which was expanding its procurement consulting practice to compete with the then-dominant Arthur Andersen.
At Capgemini, Anthony’s consulting work focused entirely on the public sector, serving notable clients such as the Ministry of Defence (MOD), Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), and the Metropolitan Police.
In 2007, Anthony transitioned to EY to reconnect with private sector projects. Based at the stunning 1 More London Place, he worked with prominent organizations, including Diageo, SABMiller, Compass Group, Serco, and even EY itself. While consulting for Compass Group, Anthony built a strong rapport with then-UK CEO Ian Sarson, who would later play a significant role in Anthony’s entrepreneurial journey.
After years of intense corporate growth, Anthony faced burnout in 2012. He took a step back from climbing the corporate ladder and spent 2013 offering consulting support to the Chief Procurement Officer at Britvic. However, the allure of his professional network soon called him back, and in 2014, Anthony joined Accenture. There, he held diverse roles in outsourcing and consulting, collaborating with clients such as Compass Group, Imperial Brands, Jaguar Land Rover, Reckitt, and more. During this time, he reconnected with Ian Sarson, who was leading parts of Compass’s European business and spearheading a Europe-wide transformation. Over dinner one evening, Ian shared his plans to retire and pursue a master’s in executive coaching at Sheffield Hallam University. Recognizing an opportunity, Anthony proposed becoming one of Ian’s early coachees.
In 2017, Anthony sought a new challenge and entered the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence by joining IBM as the UK Automation Lead. While he admired IBM’s technical expertise and commitment to AI under Ginni Rometty’s leadership, the cultural fit wasn’t ideal for him. However, Anthony credits IBM’s persistence in AI innovation as a crucial step towards the advanced generative AI technologies we have today.
Anthony’s relationship with Ian Sarson remained a constant throughout these transitions. After moving from Accenture to IBM, Anthony began exploring the concept of MESEJ—a consulting firm he envisioned. Over coffee at the Hilton in Newbury, he pitched the idea to Ian and invited him to join the journey. Ian, intrigued by the opportunity, became a key part of MESEJ’s foundation and growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the most common questions
We’ve collected our answers to the most common questions about MESEJ.
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If you are not happy with the output even after we have tried our best to resolve your concerns, then the answer is yes, it is free. Now let’s be clear about this: if you were unreasonable, then no, it wouldn’t be free. In our years of operating to date, we have never had to activate this option.
We did have one early instance where a leader wanted everything, including the kitchen sink, thrown in, and we did it because we were new. Today, we are more practical and frank with you. In fact, we have clients who appreciate what we have delivered in a FastDiagnostic™, knowing we overran our own budget to smash the outcomes out of the park.
On their own decision, they have insisted we increase our fees so that we are not out of pocket. When you work for clients like this, it is a pleasure to go above and beyond because everyone wins.
No. MESEJ was never about Anthony. MESEJ was formulated with five shareholders who at their option could support delivery and originate work.
Ian Sarson became a co-Director of the business in 2021 and then retired from MESEJ in 2023, staying on as a shareholder and part time advisor. The main stay of delivery today is Anthony Gluyas as lead consultant supported by Claire Huggins and a core of external, confidential advisors. Claire runs her own successful branding agency and provides graphic and branding advisory services to us.
We believe that the more light you shine on a problem, the better your chances of finding a solution. We have a core group of advisors who are either currently in corporate leadership roles, climbing the ladder, slowing down towards retirement, or already retired. They are absolutely world-class.
We compensate them for their time by either paying them directly, paying their companies, donating to their nominated charity, or a charity of our choosing. Through their kindness, together we have managed to donate thousands to charities around the world.
Not strictly, no. While we are members of the EMCC and have attended the Executive Coaching online course at Cambridge University, we are not currently dedicated to executive coaching. Coaching is a core skill of any management consultant, but purist coaches would shy away from direct advice. Our clients, however, want to know our experience and what we would do.
Our clients are always the decision-makers, yet they want someone who has a view on what good looks like and what to avoid. This offering can cause some organizations to flinch during the procurement process for fear that yet another coach is entering the business. To address this, we can invoice for this work under the offering FastDiagnostic™ OnDemand.
The principles are the same no matter what the offering. All of our work is about helping leaders achieve greater, faster, more sustainable outcomes.
