growth
Acceleration
performance transformation
Revenue synergy | adding +$30m value on a $200m revenue base
performance transformation
performance transformation
performance transformation
Changing revenue, profit and operations direction & trajectory
1 - Integration | roll-up market consolidation
re-setting a buy-and-build
Engaged at a mid-size buy-and-build manufacturing business that had completed 12 acquisitions in 2 years from start-up ($200m revenue), the brief was to integrate founder-led M&A and re-set go-to-market for sector consolidation.
The constituent businesses were performing strongly | the opportunity was to migrate to at-scale platforms, technology and teams that could enable economies of scale and consolidation of a fragmented market | also transitioning to the culture and governance of a of a private equity environment | and lessening dependence on the former business-owners as earn-outs evolved.
An integration and transformation engagement | extending into a light-touch transitional CCO through strategic and operational change.
To deliver the integration, a 7-workstream programme was developed | light-touch and hands-on, specifically designed to manage the cultural and operational transition from an owner-managed environment to private equity. Staff retention was c.100%.
Revenue-wise, opportunities were two-fold. Operationally, there was scope for at-scale processes, disciplines and governance. Strategically, there was opportunity for changing the nature of the market by consolidating a key segment and introducing leading-edge, emerging technology. Two separate and interconnected strands of activity.
CRM systems, disciplines and processes were up-rated and standardised across the piece, re-tooling the go-to-market environment and 'cleaning' data. That delivered enhanced governance, increased certainty of forecast and increased scope to focus on core business winning opportunities and clients. A 'global account' environment (overlay) was created and 'skilled-up' to encourage a shift from localised multi-sourcing.
IMPACT: the business evolved ready for its next phase under private equity ownership | efficiency was enhanced, risk reduced and culture 'nudged' | sales & account management was re-structured / re-allocated for effectiveness and to a new cadence and governance model | and the growth value-strategy was set underway.
2 - ACCELERATION | re-set on change of ownership
CCO'ING A TAKE-PRIVATE
Engaged at a mid-size and formerly publicly quoted business as it transitioned to private equity , the brief was to accelerate revenue | building value from synergy across the Group's 5 business units while simultaneously driving efficiency / effectiveness across 'business-as -usual'.
The group had been assembled by acquisition of related-yet-distinct capabilities over multiple years, operating in multiple product-market environments internationally. Buy-and-build was ongoing and core to the value creation plan.
A transformational and transitional CCO role through strategy shift, step-change and operational performance uplift.
Revenue operations were refreshed and a light-touch group CCO function was established | consolidating sales & marketing activity across the Groups 5 discrete business units where relevant while retaining 'bespoke-ness' for each operating business | drawing heavily on roll-out of internal best practices (for speed, buy-in and investment considerations) | uprating efficiency and enhancing governance, focus and forecast-ability.
Opportunity for synergy was addressed in 2 strands | mechanisms (and culture) were established to identify opportunity to join-up propositions across business units, driving competitiveness and potential to enter adjacent markets. A cross-group overlay was introduced to connect client management and encourage cross-sell group-wide for the largest clients.
IMPACT: the business crystallised an operating environment for enhanced market strength and strategic growth | delivering benefits defined in terms of efficiency, cost, focus and over-sight | and also measured in culture and access to adjacent markets.
3 - strategic growth | revenue synergy
+$30m value at a mid-size multi-disciplinary business
Engaged at a mid-size business (that had been assembled by acquisition over time), the brief was to establish an at-scale revenue stream that would leverage synergies across the Group's 4 business units (financial & professional services).
Cross-sell and light-touch unified client management were the key quick-win opportunities | with potential to open adjacent markets by combining offerings a deeper strategic thread.
A 'set-up and run' CCO role through transformation and growth in a complex multi-country and multi-stakeholder environment.
A cross-group community of leaders and revenue owners was built across 'OpCo' boundaries | 'hubbed' around clients, propositions and sectors. These connections and opportunities were 'nudged' hard, finding common-ground and win-win opportunity. An 'internal broker' role was created at Regional Leadership level.
A core operating principle was established to build links (and culture) without becoming intrusive | connect, catalyse and encourage | do not build 'competing' central structures. Opportunity (and challenge) was as much cultural as it was operational and strategic. Everything was managed, measured and communicated in a highly visible pipeline.
IMPACT: the business rapidly found mutual and win-win opportunity that delivered multi-million $ revenue in the first year, with close to zero investment and in-year payback | accelerating 40% in year 2 and becoming a strategic and increasingly self-reinforcing / self-sustaining 'plank' with a capital value estimated at in excess of $30m on a $200m revenue base.
4 - performance transformation | changing trajectory
reversing the trend | top-quartile in i8 months
Engaged at a multi-country business that had been highly successful and now faced a 'sluggishness', the brief was to re-set growth / operations / profit performance in a growing market.
The opportunity was to reinvigorate client retention and accelerate new business winning | shifting direction-of-travel from a declining trajectory to market outperformance.
A P&L role through transformation and operational uplift.
As a first step, a rapid-impact service-levels transformation initiative was rolled out | operated and led by client administration teams | addressing a core 'root-cause' impacting client retention (in an annually-recurring market) and ability to convert sales opportunities.
In addition, sales management practices were refreshed, CRM was enhanced, the market was re-segmented, propositions were tailored to specific segments and targeting was re-aligned.
Process and skill-building were key, as were peer-to-peer best-practice development networks, alongside KPI re-set and enhancement. The strategy was to rapidly deliver results from a series of quick-wins supported by very little investment | freeing up investment capital and capacity to consider longer-term and step-change tech-enhanced operating platforms, and also expansion through M&A and propositions that would change specific areas of the market.
IMPACT: in a rapid-results and low investment mindset, the business achieved top-quartile revenue and profit performance within 18 months | setting up the financials and the environment for a more fundamental platform upgrade, enhanced competitiveness and outperformance.
5 - large-scale M&A integration
complex programme management | in a regulated environment
Engaged at a multi-national financial services business to manage full-breadth integration across two UK businesses and a c.£1.5bn revenue base.
The deal involved two of the largest players in the UK market | bringing together significant opportunity for synergy and economies of scale | alongside substantial revenue risk in a market in which revenue closely aligns with people.
A transformation programme role spanning far-reaching and inter-connected activity | across a highly competitive market and a regulated, nuanced environment.
Work began several weeks prior to close, preparing the ground for Day 1 and laying the foundations for a short-term integration.
Once the deal closed, many moving parts began in earnest. With strategies, plans and dependencies fluid and moving fast, fit-for-purpose strategy, planning and governance was key.
Independent-yet-connected workstreams set out priorities, plans, timelines and investment cases for smooth integration plus fundamental transformation to a new, combined '1+1>2' operating framework and model. A complex, 'live' and intricate programme of co-ordinated activity.
Formal governance took a traditional form | the 'informal', however, 'made the difference', proactively ensuring 'connections' that short-cut cross-programme opportunities and issues.
IMPACT: the programme integrated 2 businesses, streamlined operations, captured quick wins and synergies, and unlocked significant opportunity | managing potential for significant risk and operational disruption | while evolving a new steady-state business as usual and fostering cultural alignment.
