Region: Europe

Managing Director of Axialent and author of the book “Be the Change: The art of becoming our own innovation Project”.

Fran Cherny is a business leader, inspirational speaker, and advisor to executives driving cultural transformation processes. Born in Buenos Aires and currently based in Barcelona, Fran leads Axialent Global, an international consulting firm pioneering conscious change in organizations. Fran is recognized in the industry for his ability to facilitate change processes that last and produce real business results. His methodology is based on agile and innovative practices applied in real day-to-day situations and has proven eective. He generates sustainable transformations, and helps leaders and teams to align business strategy with their values and practices. His proven methodology is based on agile and innovative practices applied in real day-to-day situations.

Experience

For over 15 years and in more than 20 countries, Fran has supported leading multinationals — such as Procter & Gamble, Microsoft, Facebook, and AXA — through cultural transformation projects, conferences, direct coaching to executives, and facilitation of leadership teams. Fran was responsible for opening Axialent’s European market. As CEO (2012-2017), he led global expansion eorts, developed new markets, and expanded the Axialent Advisory board bringing the most relevant content clients needed. He also led the recruitment and development of hundreds of consultants and inspired many others through his speaking engagements.

His book

BE THE CHANGE THE ART OF BECOMING OUR OWN INNOVATION PROJECT.

Both personally and professionally, we are sometimes faced with new challenges that require us to change to overcome them. Sometimes, this change is much more complex than it seems, and thus the obstacles become limits. Other times the change does take place, but we do not manage to sustain it over time. Thus, the change is diluted and the original problem resurfaces. Be the Change invites us to reflect on the diculties we may encounter when undertaking any change, and to transform ourselves into a person capable of innovating on ourselves successfully in all of our fields of action. From his experience as an international consultant, Fran proposes that each of us become our innovation project and find, in each situation, the next “best version” of ourselves.

Jose Suarez is the former CEO of Axialent, and currently serves as a member of the board and strategic partner.

With nearly 30 years of experience in management and general administration, José has worked in both the private sector and public administration. He spent the majority of his career in the corporate world. As a consultant, he focuses on strategy, management, and business development.

Until early 2011, José served as a councilor for the City Council of Oviedo, Principality of Asturias, Spain. In addition to overseeing the areas of culture, sports, and youth, he also served as president of the Sociedad Ovetense de Festejos, which is responsible for organizing various festivals in the city. Furthermore, he served as vice president of the Museum of Fine Arts of Asturias and the Campoamor Theater Lyrical Awards Foundation. Currently, he remains a member of the General Council of CajAstur/LiberBank, a leading bank in Asturias.

Before becoming a councilor for the City Council, José was the director of international business development for the Inmark Group and a member of the company’s board of directors, where he led projects in both Europe and Latin America. Previously, he served as the corporate director of Makeateam, a Spanish consulting firm dedicated to executive training that was acquired by the Inmark Group in 2005. Prior to that, José served as a director of Ernst & Young in Spain and Latin America, where he was in charge of overseeing strategic consulting, human resources, and change management areas in Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico.

José earned a bachelor’s degree in geography and history from the University of Oviedo and a Master’s in Business Administration from the IEDE, Institute for Executive Development. Furthermore, he attended courses on topics such as administration, marketing, service strategies, competitive leadership, and strategies and implementation at the London School of Economics, the Disney Institute, and the University of California-Berkeley, among other institutions.

In addition to his other activities, José has been a press contributor since 1993. He was also awarded the Grand Cross for Humanitarian Merit in Barcelona in 2010.

Although he currently resides in Asturias, Spain, José has also lived in Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil. He is married, has two children, and enjoys reading and walking.