Board professionalization

Background

• Family onwned/led manufacturing business in cyclical and competitive  global B2B tech market
• Subsidiaries in three countries, of which two with local manufacturing
• Both blue- and white-collar business

Purpose

• Professionalize company management
• Segment focussed strategy for profitable growth
• Strengthen global B2B sales competencies and processes

Solutions

• Board member with dedicated role to develop growth strategy, B2B marketing and sales force performance
• Strategy Cookbook process with management team
• Market-/value chain analysis and segment strategy
• Growth strategy with significant supply chain investments in automation
• Best practices in B2B premium solution sales
• Strategy monitor with KPI follow-up

Results

• Managed balance between topline growth and cost efficiency during booms and recessions
• Growing high margin business
• Substantial improvement in financial performance and ROI

Background

• Partner owned/led B2B tech trading company with both private and public customers
• Commoditization and thin margins in current core business
• Unclear strategy for future profit growth
• Primarily white-collar business

Purpose

• Align partners and agree strategic direction and priorities
• Professionalize company management
• Improve margin performance by increased value-added service mix

Solutions

• Chair and professional board competencies addressing key business issues
• Market intelligence and tools for internal data management/decision support
• Strategy Cookbook process with board and management
• Growth strategy and KPI tracking
• Recruitment of value-added service competencies
• Sales force assessment and performance management

Results

• Revenue and profitability clean up
• Margin improvements 
• Improved solution sales/service competencies
• Subsequent profitable revenue growth

Background

• Founder led B2B tech service company
• Years of flat revenue trend from only one customer/service segement
• Need to decide on growth or exit scenarios
• White-collar business

Purpose

• Simulate and evaluate strategic scenarios
• Develop board mandate and recruitment
• Growth strategy including Nordic entries
• Exploit technology platform to penetrate new customer/service segments

Solutions

• Professional board competencies addressing key business issues
• Board member with dedicated role to facilitatet strategy development
• Strategy Cookbook process with founder and board
• Budget process integration strategic actions
• Product developement process and raodmap
• Teambuilding process for management team

Results

• Board approved strategy and budget
• Tools for implementation and follow-up strategic actions 1-pagers and KPI:s
• Continuous sparring and follow-up on activity progress, financial performance and corrective actions
• Investments in targeted product development
• Consecutive years of revene growth
• Long-term growth of financial results

Background

• Founder/owner led manufacturing company in global B2B market
• Specialized technology, products and employees
• Nice growth rates, but narrow and risky customer portfolio
• Production oriented company with no commercial organization
• Need for generational management handover and acceleration of equity value growth              

Purpose

• Professionalize board, executive management and corporate image both internally and externally
• Establish CRM-based sales- and marketing function
• Create a broader customer portfolio and significant growth via increased global footprint
• Increase customer loyalty by developing value-adding service concepts
• Ensure production capacity and skills to scale the business

Solutions

• Chair of the board
• Professionalization of the board work
• 360 degrees governance service check
• Establish new management team
• Strategy Cookbook process with the board and new management team
• Strategy monitor with KPI follow-up

Results

• Rules of procedure for the board of directors and executive instructions, board wheel etc.
• Rules of authorities and job descriptions for management
• Profile requirements and recruitment of new CEO, CCO and CFO
• Global growth strategy with focus on industry-, end-customer- and geographical segments
• Acceleration of commercial activities
• Upgrading of production environment and operational management processes

Background

• Private equity journey with founder led service business in volume driven and volatile B2B2C tech service market
• Fierce low price channel competition in core business
• Increasing service complexity and challenged margins
• Primarily blue-collar business        

Purpose

• Establish a leading pan-Nordic plug & play service provider
• Consolidate Nordic core business volume
• Develop and launch value-added services to grow operating margins
• Maximize equity value before exit

Solutions

• Chair of the board
• Private Equity and Value-adding Leadership Cookbooks
• Growth strategy and Nordic value proposition
• Two add-on acquisitions, including fundraising roadshow
• Executive chairman during PMI
• Group management structure and Group CEO/management team
• Rebranding and omnichannel presence
• Strategic customer partherships
• Best practice manufacturing processes

Results

• Nordic M&A driven market leader
• Improved customer satisfaction and new customer acquisitions
• Financial growth - however challenged by financial covenants
• Financial and operational restructuring
• Reengineered growth strategy

Background

• Private equity journey in highly competitive B2B tech service market
• Financial and operational performance below industry and competitor benchmarks
• Primarily white-collar business    

Purpose

• Accelerate operational and financial performance
• Increase market share
• Maximize equity value before exit

Solutions

• Board member with dedicated role to implement industry best practices
• Prolonged CEO coaching
• Private Equity and Value-adding Leadership Cookbooks
• Interim management assignments
• Value activity analysis
• Sales force performance management
• Rebranding of value propositions

Results

• Market share and profitability improvements
• Successful and attractive PE exit

Background

• Private equity journey with founder led manufacturing company within Nordic B2B market
• Tough competition qua RFQ:s and overcapacity at home and abroad
• Production oriented approach and low innovation rate
• Limited segment focus and share of wallet with existing customers
• Low involvement og middle management and employees

Purpose

• Consolidate no. 2 market position in DK
• Grow export sales in SE/NO/GER
• Ensure commercially driven sales approach by an effective product-, marketing- and supply chain organization
• Capitalize new market trends via innovative products and service concepts
• Maximize equity value before exit

Solutions

• Chair of the board
• Private Equity and Value-adding Leadership Cookbooks
• Fact-based strategy process with management team and employees
• Organizational review and development plans
• Executive chairman during transformation period

Results

• Focused growth strategy with segment-based value propositions
• Divestment of non-core businesses and machinery
• Establishment of active management team and frequent employee communication
• Action plan ready for execution
• Quick, successful and attractive PE exit

Background

• Family owned consumer business in competitive market with significant channel dynamics
• Brands and private labels
• Accelerating losses
• Both blue-collar and white-collar business

Purpose

• Rapid turnaround and stabilization
• Professionalize company management
• Develop and execute growth strategy

Solutions

• Chair and professional board competencies addressing key business issues
• Turnaround Cookbook with focus on 360 degrees turnaround
• Extensive due diligence
• Reorganization and new CEO/management team
• Competence development program for all blue- and white-collars
• Strategy Cookbook with focus on growth and innovation
• Rebranding
• Significant supply chain investments

Results

• Downwards profit trend reversed with accumulated breakeven within six months
• Improved customer and employee satisfaction
• Significant profit growth on both brands and private labels

Background

• Partner owned/led B2B trading business with both private and public customers
• Years of revenue and earnings growth significantly hurt by global financial down turn

Purpose

• Short term turnaround 
• Longer term strategy and action plans to regain growth
• Empowering organization

Solutions

• Chair and professional board
• Turnaround and Strategy Cookbook process involving board and management team
• Strategic action 1-pagers 
• Linking strategy and financial plans, including budget process and follow up
• Implementation plan, including short term turnaround actions
• Communication plan and presentations for both internal and external use

Results

• Board approved strategy and budget
• Top 20 action implementation program kicked-off 
• Tools and process for implementation and follow-up on strategic action 1-pagers
• Continuous sparring, follow up and corrective actions
• Significant performance trend shift and growth outlook

Background

• Private equity journey with founder led B2B tech service company
• Declining trend after many years of undisputed top line and earnings growth

Purpose

• Board proposal for long term strategy and financial plan

Solutions

• Board member and professional board
• Dedicated role as CEO sparring partner
• Turnaround and Strategy Cookbook process involving extended management team
• Strategic action 1-pagers 
• Linking strategy and financial planning

Results

• Board approved strategy
• Tools and process for implementation and follow-up on strategic action 1-pagers 
• Strong management commitment 
• Regained growth trend
• Eventually successfull and attractive PE exit

Background

• Owner-led production company within B2B2C
• Many years of growth flattened out in unconsolidated Danish market
• Challenging environmental and consumer trends
• Low degree of digitization
• Family-based board
• Business based on both blue- and white collar

Purpose

• Establish a professional board
• Brand revitalization
• Optimize product and customer profitability
• Segment-focused strategy for profitable growth
• Strengthen B2B sales skills and processes
• Streamline and digitize marketing and sales
• Ensure owner-manager time to work with development rather than operations

 Solutions

• Chair and professional board competencies addressing key business issues
• Strategy Cookbook process with the board
• Activity Value Analysis
• Reorganization of marketing and sales
• CSR strategy based on UN's Sustainable Development Goals
• Rebranding via social media
• Strategy monitor with KPI follow-up

Results

• Board-approved strategy and financial plans
• 360 degree internal and external relaunch and rebranding
• Optimized product and customer portfolio
• Launch of CSR report with documented improvements on UN's Sustainable Development Goals
• Improved brand awareness and image

Background

• Family owned/led service company with both private and business customers
• A sensitive 3 legged business portfolio which has not been able to create sustainable earnings growth
• Blue-collar business

Purpose

• Portfolio strategy with growth in high margin areas
• Professionalize company management
• Create stable profitable growth
• Bank investment presentation

Solutions

• Advisory board and chair
• Strategy Cookbook process involving and aligning shareholders 
• Segmentation and pricing analysis
• Investment feasibility studies
• Linking strategy and financial planning
• Implementation and follow up plans
• Continuous strategy and business review process

Results

• Approved strategy and financial plans
• Bank meetings and engagement development plans agreed 
• Continuous sparring and follow-up on activity progress, financial performance and corrective actions
• Stable profit growth and accumulating equity

Background

• Founder-led company with sales of consumer durables via retail
• Strong Brand position in Denmark and the Nordic countries, but investment-heavy scaling model
• Tight cash position

Purpose

• Professionalize management and processes
• Stage-based international growth strategy
• Strengthen negotiating power vis-à-vis international retail chains and webshops
• Streamline processes during growth journey
• Secure financing of international scaling

Solutions

• Advisory board chair and quarterly advisory board meetings
• Strategy Cookbook process with the management team
• Analysis and prioritization of international markets
• Outsourcing and partnerships
• Profitable retail shop in shop concepts
• Online sales strategy
• Strategy monitor with KPI follow-up

Results

• Approved growth strategy and financial plan
• Increased international footprint, both offline and online
• Quadrupling revenue
• Prepared for involvement of external investors