Karl A. L. Smith – Founder & CTO, All me
Karl A. L. Smith is the inventor of All me and the Ecosystem Architect behind the All me enterprise ecosystem, owned and stewarded by the Omega Foundation, a Geneva‑based non-profit. As Founder and CTO, he leads the platform’s technical vision and governance, ensuring that every component of the system embodies privacy, user sovereignty, and Defence‑by‑Design principles.
With a career spanning digital consultancy, innovation, enterprise architecture, and human‑centred systems, Karl has spent decades helping global organisations rethink how people interact with technology. His expertise directly shaped All me’s core philosophy: a social platform where there is no advertising, no tracking, no profiling, no surveillance, and where users define what they see, own their data, and control their privacy at every level.
Karl’s leadership is grounded in the belief that technology must serve people first. Through All me, he is driving a new era of digital platforms built on respect, individuality, and community restoring the freedom and authenticity that mainstream social media has eroded.
Professional & Commercial Experience
Consulting & Strategy
Since 1989, Karl has worked globally across consultancies and industries, advising directors, boards, and leadership teams on digital maturity, transformation, and organisational change. His work spans banking, finance, retail, pharmaceuticals, energy, government, defence, travel, publishing, and technology.
Key Projects & Clients
Karl has led major engagements including:
| Theme | Representative Work |
|---|---|
| Agile Transformation | NatWest Bank – Agile Target Operating Models; HSBC – DevSecOps strategy |
| Organisational Design | Admiral Insurance – Governance and portfolio management |
| Global Digital Programmes | Deutsche Bank, Wipro Digital, Accenture, Pearson, Microsoft, Unilever, Vodafone |
Innovations & Methodologies
Karl has created several influential methodologies, including:
- Ethnographics – A rapid contextual research method derived from ethnography.
- Customer Agility Framework – Integrating AI/ML, analytics, ESG/PRI factors, sentiment analysis, and UX research to translate customer and business needs into transformation programmes.
These methodologies have been applied across industries to accelerate transformation, improve user experience, and align technology with human behaviour.
Leadership Roles
Karl’s leadership experience spans global consultancies, enterprise transformation, and non-profit governance.
- Co‑founder of Wipro Digital, establishing its global design, strategy, and experience capabilities.
- Global leadership roles at Accenture and other organisations, launching UX, digital, and transformation services.
- Executive leadership across finance, engineering, logistics, regulatory compliance, governance, and infrastructure.
- Senior advisor at Agile World, supporting business agility and emerging technology adoption.
Academic & Design Background
Education
- Degree(s) in design and a postgraduate certificate in design education.
- Master’s degree in Computer Science, specialising in enterprise systems, AI, and advanced technical architectures.
Thought Leadership & Teaching
Karl is recognised as an early mover in UX and human‑centred design, evolving from usability diagnostics into strategy, ecosystems, service design, and large‑scale organisational transformation. He has delivered workshops, talks, and publications on:
- Human‑centred systems
- Agile transformation
- Organisational design
- AI frameworks and Bayesian networks
- Digital ecosystems and service design
- Designing for human experience
Recognition & Affiliations
- Fellow of the British Computer Society (FBCS) for leadership in IT and human‑centred design.
- Co‑founder of Agile World, a non-profit providing free Agile education and media resources.
- Member of multiple global transformation and innovation networks.
Blogging & Thought Leadership
Karl has been blogging since 2001 on topics including: Agile methodologies, customer and user experience, digital transformation, human‑centred systems, AI and AI frameworks, IoT and smart living, enterprise strategy, Bayesian networks, technology innovation, management consultancy, social media analysis, and political history. His writing can be found at karlsmith.info.
A Vision for What Social Media Should Have Been
All me represents Karl’s vision of what social media should have been;
All me is ethical, user‑centred, private and genuinely human. It restores digital dignity, protects identity and creates a space where people can connect without compromise.