An approach that focuses on operational activities, not in words but in deeds: this represents what we really do
We study and define a “change project” together with the incumbent entrepreneur before completing a transaction. We believe change means smoothly modifying existing working habits and procedures to foster the winning evolution required to maintain or further improve the company strategic position in an increasingly demanding competitive landscape.
Our approach to implementing “change” in an already successful company can be split between organizational and structural improvements. Organizational improvements are those necessary to better institutionalize the firm, improve efficiency and streamline costs. They are carried out immediately post acquisition so to focus on a common set of performance objectives.
Structural improvements are instigated from the first moments but take between two and four years to be fully implemented. These key improvements include reorganizing the manufacturing structure, opening new distribution channels, launching new products, executing planned acquisitions. They represent the fundamental turning points we identify before starting a partnership with an entrepreneur.
We help to implement these changes via a variety of different methods:
transferring knowledge as regards foreign markets, operational best practices, distribution channels and capital expenditure planning;
convincing entrepreneurs to buy into projects implementation staying behind them, not to alter the company hierarchy (in other words the majority of changes are executed by the same entrepreneurs and their management teams, once they get comfortable with the value of our proposals);
actively participating in main suppliers and clients visits, playing a role in negotiating and explaining the advantages to stakeholders from planned changes (while management complements this process by carrying out the operational dialogue);
tutoring managers in masterminding the transition towards a self-sustaining organization (in case the entrepreneur is willing to leave the company in a few years).
In any case we try to adapt our personal agenda to investee company life
and not the other way round