Case Studies
Real examples of commercial challenge at board level, M&A advisory, and strategic growth — drawn from 30 years of operating experience.
CASE STUDY
PE-backed services business reset
A PE-backed professional services business stalled 18 months into a 4-year value creation plan. Board-level commercial challenge diagnosed strategy mismatch, reset execution, and launched exit 18 months early.
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Professional services partnership transition
A Managing Partner faced succession, partnership friction, and personal transition simultaneously. Confidential commercial counsel resolved all three: internal successor confirmed, two-tier partnership approved, NED portfolio career launched cleanly.
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Founder-led scale-up under investor scrutiny
A £15m ARR Series B-funded business needed to evolve from “founder + friends” to professional governance. Independent NED challenge improved unit economics, supported founder transition, and unlocked Series C at a higher valuation.
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Building a board-grade AI operating system
A Portfolio NED built a personal AI operating system with human-in-the-loop governance — demonstrating the same principles a board would expect of a portfolio company. Multi-agent stack, golden rule, credibility proof.
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Technology-enabled services target
A board was evaluating a technology-enabled services target where much of the growth case depended on the quality of data, reporting, and the underlying digital operating model. The commercial narrative was compelling, but it was unclear whether the target’s AI/data capability and management information were strong enough to support the expected scaling and synergy case.
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Professional services bolt-on acquisition
A leadership team was considering a bolt-on acquisition in professional services to accelerate growth, broaden sector reach, and create cross-sell opportunities. On paper, the fit appeared strong, but there was uncertainty around partner alignment, client retention, and whether the revenue synergies being assumed were realistic.
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Cross-border industrial acquisition
A board was assessing a cross-border acquisition in an industrial supply chain where the headline commercial case looked attractive, but the underlying risk profile was less clear. The target appeared strategically complementary, yet there were concerns around customer concentration, supplier dependency, leadership fit across regions, and whether the operating model could support a smooth integration.
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Overseeing a valuable acquisition on the global stage
A €12 billion revenue consumer packaged goods (CPG) company based in Germany asked me to oversee and direct its acquisition of a large US-based CPG business with an international footprint.
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How restructuring prepared an early-stage business for listing on AIM
Revenues were modest, the monthly cash burn was imposing, and cash was rapidly running out. The company had tried – but failed – to raise additional finance
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How a fresh approach helped a top 30 UK law firm increase PEP by 30%
Following a change at the top, net profits were starting to become reasonable, but profit per equity partner, though improving, was still significantly lower than its pre-downturn peak
Read more: How a fresh approach helped a top 30 UK law firm increase PEP by 30%Ready for straight-talking commercial challenge at board level?
If you’re a Board Practice partner, PE Operating Partner, or Chair seeking a NED with genuine commercial depth and international operating experience, let’s talk.