From 1st January 2025, @Luke Williams OBE has taken over as Group CEO at auticon.
Luke takes over the reins from @Kurt Schöffer, who joined auticon after becoming one of our first impact investors in 2013. Kurt has been instrumental to the success of auticon, positioning the organisation as a trailblazer in the acceptance of neurodivergent employees in the workplace. Under his leadership, auticon expanded globally, working with clients across Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific and attracting notable investors such as @Ferd AS, an Oslo-based family-owned investment company, and @Virgin @Richard Branson, who is neurodivergent himself.
“Early in my career, I fell in love with the idea of social impact investing – using business methodology to help solve social problems,” said Kurt Schöffer. “When I joined auticon, I believed in our unique model to make a real difference in how businesses value neurodivergent talent. Today, that vision is a reality, and I’m confident that auticon is well-positioned to continue its growth and impact under new leadership.”
Prior to joining auticon, Luke Williams was the CEO of Elements Talent Consultancy, a pioneering firm in the “Embedded Talent Consultancy” model. With a strong track record in business consulting and corporate leadership, Luke brings a wealth of experience in leadership and strategy across multiple industries.
Luke’s entrepreneurial spirit is also reflected in his significant contributions to the UK’s startup ecosystem, notably his tenure as Chair of the Start Up Loans Company, a government-backed initiative that has supported thousands of entrepreneurs across the UK. In recognition of his work in promoting entrepreneurship, Luke was awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2018.
“I am thrilled to join auticon at such a pivotal moment,” said Luke Williams. “Kurt has done an extraordinary job leading this company, and I am deeply committed to building on his legacy. auticon’s focus on creating an inclusive, neurodivergent workforce is both inspiring and necessary, and I look forward to working with our talented team to advance our mission and create even more opportunities for neurodivergent professionals”.
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of auticon Australia and New Zealand Mr Bodo Mann, commended Kurt Schöffer for his exemplary leadership over recent years while looking forward to working with new Group CEO Luke Williams.
“Kurt, during his tenure has seen the organisation grow to over 600 employees across the globe, changing the lives of hundreds of neurodiverse people and becoming the world’s largest employer of autistic people. That is something to be truly proud of.”
“As an organisation, we’re in a really great place and well set up to grow into the future. Luke is well placed to leverage auticon’s core talent management and consulting expertise and take our business to the next level.
“I’m excited to be working alongside Luke, as we work to open up opportunities for both business and neurodiverse people right across the Asia Pacific region.”