Dr. Mahdi Seify
I help organisations adopt AI responsibly and measurably — combining 25+ years of IT delivery experience with a PhD in AI-driven predictive analytics. I apply ISO/IEC 27001 audit rigour to the emerging AI-specific standards ecosystem — ISO/IEC 42001, the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, and EU AI Act risk-tiering. Originator of the Deep Business Analytics (DBA) framework, validated on 50M+ NHS records, and the Artificial Complementary Intelligence (ACI) philosophy: AI as assistant, humans as visionaries.
Based in Milton Keynes, at the heart of the Oxford–Cambridge growth corridor — also working with SMEs across London, Birmingham, Oxford and Cambridge.
Projects delivered for
Notes from the consultancy floor
Short, opinionated write-ups on what I actually see in AI engagements — not vendor theory.
AI Ethics in Practice: A Bias Audit Walkthrough From a Recent Engagement
What a real bias audit actually looks for — the disparate-impact test, the proxy variable nobody flagged, and why the fix usually isn't retraining the model.
The ROI Conversation I Have Before Any AI Project: Time Saved vs. Money Saved
Time saved and money saved are not the same thing — and conflating them is why so many AI projects get approved on hype and quietly cancelled a year later.
Board-Level AI Governance: The Five Questions Every UK SME Board Should Be Asking
AI oversight is now a board-level governance decision, not an IT one — and most boards haven't caught up.
Training, consultancy, governance & AI ownership
I write and think about all of this here — the methodology, the Chief AI Officer question, the frameworks. The hands-on delivery — training, strategic AI consultancy, the full AI governance lifecycle, and fractional Chief AI Officer engagements — runs through VisionXY7, the company I founded.
Seven areas of practice
Built over 100+ cross-sector engagements — from national health systems to SME automation.
AI Strategy & Governance
Readiness assessment, adoption roadmaps, and AI governance built on ISO/IEC 27001-aligned methodology extended into ISO/IEC 42001 (AI Management Systems), ISO/IEC 23894 (AI Risk Management), the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, and EU AI Act risk-tiering — plus human-in-the-loop (HITL) governance and GDPR-aligned risk management.
AI Build & Automation
Beyond strategy: I build and ship AI systems myself — WhatsApp AI agents, n8n automation pipelines, and LLM-integrated tools, hands-on.
Applied Analytics & Data Science
Predictive modelling, fraud & anomaly detection, BI/ERP integration — 50+ business analysis engagements, 36+ advanced analytics projects.
Programme & Project Delivery
PMP®/PMI-ACP®/PMI-PBA®-grounded delivery across teams of 10–17,000, including a World Bank-funded international development programme.
Academic Leadership & Research
Programme Leader, Business Analytics, University of Northampton. Founder of the FASTER (Future Analytics, Systems, Technology & Emerging Research) Research Group. 150+ dissertations supervised.
Information Security & Compliance
ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Auditor & Lead Implementer, CERT/CSIRT frameworks, DPIA and audit-trail design.
Founder & Venture Building
Founder & Chief AI Officer, VisionXY7. Co-Founder & Chief AI Officer, Dentix7. For AI training, consultancy, governance or automation delivery, work with me through VisionXY7 →
Building the architecture behind ethical, human-centred AI
VisionXY7 and Dentix7 apply the same governance-first AI philosophy to two different markets. I keep the detail on their own sites, not here.
VisionXY7
System. Intelligence. Ethics.
AI strategy, governance, and implementation consultancy for SMEs and regulated sectors — the company I founded and lead as Chief AI Officer.
Visit visionxy7.com →Dentix7
Intelligent automation for dental practices
Sister brand applying the same AI architecture to dental practices, co-founded with Dr. Ramin Kenani, PhD.
Part of the VisionXY7 family →Trusted by senior academics & industry leaders
Independent perspectives from company founders, C-suite operators, and academic peers — earned across 100+ engagements, not solicited for this page.
"Mahdi turned our complex ideas into clear, actionable solutions and delivered precisely what we needed. Professional, fast and strategically sharp."
"Dr. Seify's doctoral research on Deep Business Analytics demonstrates exceptional originality and rigour. His development of the Business Connectivity Map — bridging operational AI with strategic management control — is a genuinely novel contribution to the field."
"Mahdi delivered a high-impact analytics and automation solution that improved our processes and added immediate operational value."
"Mahdi brings a rare combination of engineering rigour, academic depth, and practical implementation capability. His work on AI governance frameworks is directly applicable to the most demanding critical infrastructure environments."
"From a minimal brief, Mahdi produced a sophisticated, professional system — going further than contracted to ensure the output was exactly right."
"Mahdi worked with our senior team on a new business concept and helped us articulate it clearly. He took time to understand our business drivers thoroughly before proposing a solution. We would have no hesitation recommending his services."
"Mahdi came with creative ideas and took the time to listen and understand our vision. He kept us updated throughout and delivered exactly what we needed. I would recommend him for any analysis or data requirements."
"Mahdi came up with a great and inclusive simulation which highlighted our product's key functions clearly and precisely. Highly receptive to feedback. I recommend him for anyone who needs complex concepts visualised."
"Mahdi has been involved in several of our technical projects spanning electronics, AI applications, and IT systems. He brings commitment, a positive approach, and consistently an intelligent result."
"The DBA framework represents a paradigm shift in how management control systems can be designed for the AI age — moving from diagnostic-reactive to predictive-pre-emptive governance."
"Mahdi used his business analysis skills to deliver a project for my employer. He was courteous, professional, and highly receptive to all feedback. High quality work that added real value to our organisation's portfolio."
Who has done it — not just studied it.
That's the story on this site — my background, my research, and the thinking behind it. When it's time to put any of this to work in your organisation, that happens through VisionXY7.