AI Transformation : How Do You Move When Everything Keeps Moving?
In my work with companies going through significant change, I see very different approaches to AI. Some are…
Pre-Exit Leadership & Organizational Readiness : What Investors Should Assess Before a Sale
Investors spend years improving performance, strengthening the business and preparing the equity story for exit. But one dimension…
When Investors and CEOs Disagree : How to Diagnose the Real Issue Before the Relationship Breaks Down
A deteriorating relationship between investors and a CEO is rarely just a relationship problem. It may reflect a…
CEO Transition in Portfolio Companies : Support, Complement, Adapt or Replace?
When a portfolio company starts missing expectations, the CEO quickly becomes part of the discussion. Sometimes rightly. But…
Private Equity & Venture Capital
How PE, Growth & VC Investors Should Assess and Monitor Human & Organizational Risks Across the Investment Cycle
Human and organizational risks do not appear only at the time of investment. They evolve throughout the investment…
Private Equity & Venture Capital
Portfolio Company Underperformance : Why Organizational Assessment Should Come First
When a portfolio company starts to underperform, one of the most useful moves is also one of the…
Private Equity & Venture Capital
How PE, Growth & VC Investors Assess Management Teams Today
Investor-led, internal specialist, external and hybrid models: how funds organize management assessment, what each model offers and where…
Private Equity & Venture Capital
US vs Europe: What Changes When You Assess Leaders, Teams and Organizations?
American and European companies are often compared through cultural stereotypes: Americans are said to move faster, Europeans to…
The CEO and Leadership Team Are Aligned — So Why Isn’t the Organization Following?
Many CEOs and executive teams reach a frustrating point in a transformation. The strategy has been discussed. The…
Private Equity & Venture Capital
When Should Investors Bring in an Independent Leadership Assessment?
Investors assess leaders all the time. They meet CEOs and founders, observe management teams, conduct references, debate strengths…
Buy-and-Build Integration : 8 Human and Organizational Questions Investors Should Get Right
Buy-and-build has become something of an Eldorado for many Private Equity firms and CEOs of ambitious businesses. The…
Private Equity & Venture Capital
Corporate Venture Capital : Assessing Founders and Organizations Beyond the Corporate Network
Corporate Venture Capital investors often operate with a powerful advantage: deep strategic, technological and industry knowledge. They understand…
Private Equity & Venture Capital
Cross-Border Investing in Europe : Closing the Leadership and Organizational Information Gap
Europe offers investors an unusually broad investment landscape: strong entrepreneurial ecosystems, deep pools of technical and managerial talent,…
Private Equity & Venture Capital
Investing Beyond Your Network : How to Understand Founders, Leadership Teams and Organizations Faster
Investors rarely make decisions based only on what is contained in a data room. They also rely on…
When Growth and Transformation Put a Company Under Pressure : Strengthening Leadership and Organizational Capabilities
Growth and transformation are about capturing opportunities. But they also put companies under pressure. New markets, acquisitions, products,…
Private Equity & Venture Capital
Why Human Due Diligence Must Connect Three Levels : Individual Leaders, Leadership Team and Organization
Human Due Diligence is sometimes approached as a series of separate assessments. The CEO or founders are assessed…
Private Equity & Venture Capital
Human Due Diligence as a Foundation for Effective Founder Support
Human Due Diligence is often seen primarily as a way to support an investment decision. Are the founders…
Private Equity & Venture Capital
In the Age of AI, Human Due Diligence Matters More Than Ever
Artificial intelligence is creating a period of major transformation for companies. Business models are being challenged. Products and…
Private Equity & Venture Capital
One Attractive Market, Several Companies : How Should Investors Choose the Right One?
Investors often start with the market. Is the sector attractive? Is the opportunity large enough? Is the timing…
When the Market Turns : Why Some Companies Recover Faster Than Others
Many companies are currently facing significant external pressures : weaker demand, margin compression, geopolitical uncertainty, financing constraints or…