Founded in Brisbane in 2019. Now operating globally.
Founded in Brisbane in 2019 and expanded into the UK as global demand for senior, vendor-neutral AI advisory accelerated. The firm now operates across both markets, with active engagements throughout the UK, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.
Built in industries where stakes are highest.
Deep domain experience in financial services, oil & gas, and resources — industries where regulatory stakes are highest and execution is unforgiving. That foundation shapes how Ascent2Digital approaches AI today: with discipline, governance, and a relentless focus on outcomes.
The inflection point is here.
Automation powered by generative and agentic AI is reshaping enterprise workflows, and the pace is set to ramp exponentially. Winners will be those moving now — strategically, safely, and with conviction.
Ascent2Digital exists to close that gap. We bring tier-one strategic rigour combined with hands-on technology delivery experience — the rare blend of someone who can write a board paper in the morning, prototype an AI agent in the afternoon, and chair a governance committee in the evening.
Founder
Founded by Mansoor Karatela
Twenty years of C-suite operating experience and 5 years-plus years advising FTSE 100 and global enterprise boards on AI strategy, governance, and adoption. CEO, COO and CIO experience across financial services, healthcare, aviation, and the public sector.
The bet most boards are placing on AI right now is too important and moving too fast to be triangulated through a forty-person engagement team. What the decision actually needs is someone who can sit through the audit committee on Monday, write the prompts that prove the use case on Tuesday, and present the business case on Thursday with nothing lost in translation between the three. Ascent2Digital is deliberately shaped to fit that brief: a single senior advisor, directly accountable to the board, working at the pace the technology actually moves rather than the pace a large engagement can afford to.
Founded by Mansoor Karatela
Twenty years of C-suite operating experience and 5 years-plus years advising FTSE 100 and global enterprise boards on AI strategy, governance, and adoption. CEO, COO and CIO experience across financial services, healthcare, aviation, and the public sector.
The bet most boards are placing on AI right now is too important and moving too fast to be triangulated through a forty-person engagement team. What the decision actually needs is someone who can sit through the audit committee on Monday, write the prompts that prove the use case on Tuesday, and present the business case on Thursday with nothing lost in translation between the three. Ascent2Digital is deliberately shaped to fit that brief: a single senior advisor, directly accountable to the board, working at the pace the technology actually moves rather than the pace a large engagement can afford to.
Five principles.
Senior-only delivery
The senior practitioner you meet on day one is the practitioner who delivers. No analyst pyramids, no offshoring, no bait-and-switch.
Vendor-neutral
We recommend what fits, not what we resell. Deep proficiency across Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and open-source frontier models.
Cross-jurisdiction fluency
Native fluency in EU, UK, and Australian regulatory regimes — EU AI Act, ISO/IEC 42001, NIST AI RMF, and emerging local guidance.
Tangible output
Working prototypes alongside strategy slides. Most engagements produce demonstrable artefacts within weeks, not quarters.
Outcome-aligned commercials
Fixed-price packages, milestone delivery, and outcome-linked retainers. We align our success with yours.
Boards, executives, and operating teams.
Across financial services, professional services, healthcare, technology, government, education, and resources sectors. Mid-market through to enterprise.
Two hubs, global delivery.
Most engagements begin with a 60-minute conversation.
No deck, no pitch — just a structured discussion about where you are and what useful next steps would look like.