Private Equity and Portfolio Organisations

Times have certainly been lean and challenging for Private Equity firms with the lowest number of deals in Europe for over ten years. However, there are still opportunities for firms to strengthen their portfolios and position. Bringing more than just finance can act as a differentiator in the market for PE firms. ‘Value Added’ finance is beginning to move from an ‘ivory tower’ concept into a marketplace demand and management capacity and development is viewed as a key to driving value.

Traditionally, less attention has been paid to management due diligence than to legal and finance pre deal assessments. This can, and has, led to post deal issues where the management team is simply not aligned with the new PE backed vision or not up to their new roles and therefore do not deliver a good return on investment. PE firms can now partner with external organisations to help maximise the return on their investment by developing the management team.

We have taken an active interest in understanding the specific dynamics of PE firms and the management teams in their portfolio organisations particularly those in the German speaking world.

Today we are a valued Sparring-Partner of Private Equity firms. Our Private Equity clients are all too aware that the success of the management teams in each stage of the lifecycle of an organisation and their investment is key to their funds’ success and hence are happy to invest in their development.

We can provide you with a high return on your investment in our services through partnering with you at one or both of the following stages:

Pre-deal

Working with you to provide answers (through assessment and analysis) to questions such as:

• What are the key strengths of the team?
• How can we best build on the team’s past and current success?
• How can we best develop key individuals and the management team to deliver the strategy?

Post-deal

Working with you to maximise the return on investment through people development.

• Group coaching to:
  • increase top team effectiveness
  • improve communication
  • integrate new team members

• Individual coaching to:
  • increase individual effectiveness
  • embed new people within the organisation
  • embed existing team members in new roles

We are valued by both PE firms and the companies in which they invest as we understand the perspectives of both partners. We always act confidentially and respect the privacy of our clients. Our background in strategy consulting and industry means that we bring ‘more than just’ coaching to the relationship and can embed individual development into the strategic and organisational context.