Think for yourself
See more clearly
Make better decisions
Live on your own terms
Speaking
Training
Bio
Alicia McKay is a writer, speaker, and straight-talking strategist based in Aotearoa New Zealand. She is the author of three books - From Strategy to Action: A Guide to Getting Shit Done In The Public Sector, You Don't Need An MBA: Leadership Lessons that Cut through the Crap, and Local Legends: How to Make a Difference in Local Government.
Her weekly newsletter is read by more than 11,000 people, and her work has featured widely in print, TV, and radio.
Alicia began her career in public policy before moving into management consulting, where she spent a decade helping organisations set direction, make big investment decisions, and lead change. Since then, she has worked with more than 120 organisations across government, local government, and business, and partnered with more than 50 councils.
Her Local Legends programme has helped hundreds of elected and executive leaders work together and make better decisions. In 2021, she founded the Not An MBA executive education programme, which has graduated more than 500 senior leaders.
Alicia has spoken at more than 50 conferences across New Zealand, Australia, and the US. In 2025, she was named one of the world’s top 25 thinkers in local government by the UK’s LGIU.
Learn more at www.aliciamckay.co.nz.
50 word version
Alicia McKay is a writer, speaker, and straight-talking strategist from Aotearoa New Zealand, and the author of three books on strategy and leadership. She founded the Not An MBA programme and was named one of the world’s top 25 thinkers in local government by the UK’s LGIU in 2025.
Pronunciation
Note: Alicia’s name is pronounced “Ah-lee-sha Mick-eye”