Leadership advisory
Our assessments help companies make the right people selection and development decisions in a wide range of business situations, covering mergers and acquisitions (due diligence, post-merger integration), disruptive market shifts (privatisation, deregulation), major organisational changes (new CEO appointment, restructuring, spin-off), or daily talent management decisions (hiring, promoting and developing senior executives). We serve very different clients, ranging from large multinationals to mid-size groups, private equity firms and not-for-profit organisations. In doing so, we look at executive performance in a dynamic way: past, present, and future. Every situation is different and therefore requires a unique combination of methodologies and tools. We leverage our proprietary competency and development potential frameworks, typically adapted to specific client needs, in two in-depth interviews conducted by senior consultants with relevant sector and functional expertise. Outcomes from these interviews are combined with a selected set of psychometric tests to gain more insights into personality traits, behavioural patterns, cognitive abilities, personal drivers and cultural fit. Business cases are also used on an ad hoc basis. This comprehensive and customised approach leads to an accurate evaluation of executive capabilities and actionable recommendations to realise full development potential. We consider feedback to the assessed individual equally important as feedback to our client since it is the only way to deliver a total impact.
Case study
Helping a private equity firm assemble and develop a strong leadership team for a new portfolio company
Context
A leading European private equity firm had just acquired a mid-size consumer goods company with operations in Benelux and the UK. We were mandated to assess the 30 top executives of the acquired group and design individual development plans.
approach
We put together a team of four senior consultants with expertise in consumer goods within these regions and used a combination of in-depth interviews, focusing on competencies deemed critical by our client, and selected psychometrics. All executives were assessed and debriefed in just a few weeks.
outcome
We provided a clear picture of executives’ key areas of strength and weakness, leading to some reshuffling of the senior management team, as well as concrete recommendations for people to realise their full development potential. Additionally we suggested ways to simplify the organisational structure, clarify roles and responsibilities and improve corporate governance.