Services

Making Decisions
with Knowledge
and Confidence

Market Intelligence

Market intelligence is the foundation of any strategy development process. We make extensive use of interviews to access information not readily available.

We employ four mains sources of information:

Interviews With Market Players
Competitors, buyers and suppliers are often the richest and most up to date source of information, but can be the hardest to engage. We establish trust with them by getting personal introductions from our network and by facilitating a discussion rather than a Q&A.
Interviews With Industry Commentators
Contacts at industry associations and journals are often receptive, but their knowledge may be limited. We use them to advance our understanding before going to market players
Proprietary Quantitative Data
Costs can be prohibitive, and the quality and scope of data varies widely. We consider the collection methodology of each provider and only purchase data that is robust and strictly necessary
Published Information
The volume and depth of information available varies dramatically by market. We review sources systematically and synthesise information carefully

Strategy Development

Strategy gives a business direction, determines priorities and aligns the team. We strive to make the development process as efficient as possible.

We help clients select target markets, product categories and distribution channels, and decide how to position and label products. We also help them assess business performance and organisational effectiveness, and re-organise where necessary.

Our approach is characterised by the following:

We invest time up front to really appreciate a client’s business and then take ownership of the challenge
We identify gaps in market knowledge and internal reporting, but only address the gaps that are relevant
We collaborate with clients through workshops and regular updates to pool knowledge and ideas, and to ensure buy-in
We facilitate the decision-making process by contextualising options in helpful frameworks, and by making the client aware of the associated costs, risks and rewards

Acquisition Support

With backgrounds in consulting and finance, we are well equipped to support our clients at every stage of the deal life cycle.

This includes:

Market appraisal
Identification and evaluation of potential targets
Initial contact with potential targets to assess interest
Pre-acquisition business planning
Commercial due diligence
Post-acquisition support

Most of our work is associated with the acquisition of medium-sized European companies, typically with valuations between €50m and €100m. Many of these companies are privately held and tightly managed, so the personal interaction with them is critical. We excel at building trust whilst maintaining a robust focus on the integrity of the deal.

We meet the needs of our clients through meticulous analysis and clear recommendations. Where a transaction requires approval from a broad set of stakeholders, we produce a clear summary document setting out the rationale for the deal.