Expert Insights

5 ways to improve your board pack and focus on the issues that matter

Board packs are essential for engaging senior stakeholders, bringing them up to speed on performance and guiding discussions that shape future strategy. They’re an indispensable component of every board meeting, but they can also be time-consuming and difficult to create. Is there a better way to build them? Management consultant and experienced interim manager Ashif…

6 tech considerations before you carve out (part 1 – carve out / disposal)

Carve-outs can be a catalyst for significant growth and shareholder value, but their complexity – particularly when it comes to technology – can lead to unforeseen problems and costs. Carve-out consultant and former CIO Pierre Montersino explains the crucial tech issues every CEO needs to consider before divesting part of their business. By carving out…

Six reasons to carry out a value creation plan (VCP) – even if you’re not facing a PE buyout

When a private equity (PE) firm comes into a business and interrogates the data and your team to make a value creation plan, it can “feel like open-heart surgery while trying to run a marathon.” So says Mike Hawthorne, an executive advisor and former CEO of PE portfolio companies. But a VCP doesn’t have to…

Is a Chief of Staff the key to faster growth?

Busy CEOs may not be able to add more hours to the day or create a copy of themselves, but hiring a chief of staff (CoS) could be the next-best answer. Experienced CoS Les Murray explains how this still largely under-utilised role can lighten the load and significantly accelerate performance. For many, a chief of…

Pay rises in a post Covid world

Requests for pay rises are on the increase, and whether you are the manager/remco member or employee, the following information may prove useful. I am pretty certain that there have been far fewer conversations about pay rises over the past year than would usually take place. However, as offices start to re-open and employees contemplate…

IR35: Don’t be put off by an Outside IR35 determination

With so many companies still unsure how to implement changes to their recruitment policy to accommodate the impending IR35 legislative update, I thought it might be useful to address one of the core issues that our clients are requesting clarification on.

How doing digital right can increase your margins

With so many companies still not taking full advantage of the digital revolution, interim executive John Lindup argues that data and technological integration are key to strengthening existing relationships, increasing margins and future-proofing your business.

More than 8 in 10 businesses underwent transformational change in 2017

A global survey by interim management specialist IXPA has found that 85% of businesses underwent transformational change in 2017. The study looked at the key challenges facing organisations around the world over the past 12 months and asked leaders how they were tackling them.

Boutique or large consultancy? Why not both?

Using a global management consultancy firm to deliver transformational change offers many benefits and is often the norm for large companies. But there are also tremendous advantages to using a boutique company. Williams Bain Director Mark Kitchen argues that in today’s fast-moving world, it really doesn’t have to be one or the other – outstanding results are being realised by companies using a model blending the best of both worlds.

IT transformation is the key to great service

A disconnect between the IT function and the rest of the business is harming many organisations’ ability to connect with their customers, argues Graham van Terheyden, and it’s time to put it right. The transformation expert explains how business leaders can realise the potential of their IT function – and perform better.

Responding to change: what next for social housing?

The Social Housing sector faces unprecedented challenges as Housing Associations and Local Authority ALMOs have to provide more homes and better services with less money. Change management expert David Lister argues that restructuring and developing a new Target Operating Model can create greater efficiencies and more modern ways of working – leaving organisations in better shape for the future.

Invest in the future – with or without a strong balance sheet

Brexit and the US presidential election have created a cautious market in which many companies are minded to sit on their cash and do nothing. But experienced commercial director David Scott argues that conditions are ripe for companies to make measured investments and steal the advantage – even if their balance sheets aren’t looking so healthy.