We have helped a number of businesses reach their true potential.
Below are just a few of the cases we’ve been involved in.
Case Study 1: Family & Management Succession
Situation
- Second generation food manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer
- Brother and sister running business for last 30 years
- Branded and own label product
- Little managerial support beyond family directors
- Adult next generation of family not involved in the business
- Complicated trust and shareholding arrangements
Actions Taken
- Assess business and agree agenda: branding, management information, succession planning
- Four Alchemist candidates
- Company chose Haydn Biddle, Chief Executive Officer of Bateman’s Brewery, the UK’s largest family owned pub chain and brewer
- 12 days work paid for by us
- Rebrand launched across estate of 20 shops
- Family constitution and council in place
- https://www.ifb.org.uk/
- Professional Financial Controller recruited
- Structures in place for budgeting, capital expenditure and management reporting
- Family member as Non-Executive Director
- Turnover and bottom line growth throughout ’08 and ’09
Case Study 2: Founder Lead Business
Situation
- First generation family company, two brothers and sister
- Turnover £30m and £2m PBT
- Engineering and 80% export
- Manufacturing JV in China
- Team very hands on
- Professional Finance Director and HR rarely used to full effect
Actions Taken
- Assess business and agree agenda: China strategy, management information, succession planning
- Four Alchemist candidates
- Company chose Brian Sweeney – ex Rolls Royce, Chairman of VC engineering businesses, worked in South East Asia
- 8 days work paid for by us
- Founder now Chairman
- Professional S&M person recruited
- Sweeney as Non-Executive Director
- Turnover £50m and £8m PBT
Case Study 3: Moving to Professional Management
Situation
- Third generation family business
- Retailer with 40 plus outlets across North
- Longstanding and faithful management team
- Stagnant/declining profitability
Actions Taken
- Assess situation: model for scaling operations, Non-Executive Director, input to board, measurement
- Five candidates
- Company chose two Operations Specialists from M&S and Finance from GUS
- Round table workshop with whole team
- New key performance measures
- Coaching for Managing Director
Case Study 4: Founder Ready to Retire
Situation
- Founder nearing retirement
- Management team stretched
- Software market maturing
- 100 customers, £10m turnover, 180 staff
- Failed project to update core platform and software
- Shareholding spread across two family generations
- Breakeven/loss incurring
- Expensive exit incentives for existing management
Actions Taken
- New family Non-Executive Director introduced
- Structured board meetings and objectives for management
- Management succession
- External Chairman introduced
- New Chief Executive Officer appointed and development of new leadership team
- Profitability restored, £1.5m EBITDA
- Long term business plan developed
- Acquisition made
Case Study 5: Maximising Family Wealth
Situation
- Third generation family business
- £10m turnover and 150 staff
- Regional player with stalled performance
- Tensions and misunderstandings in family leadership group
- Two major modernisation projects underway
- Limited succession planning and talent management in wider team
- Groundhog day on all major decisions
Actions Taken
- Introduce a Family Council involving next generation
- Introduce non-family Chairman of operating business
- Sale of investments and property to realise value to family shareholders
- Retirement of some family Executives
- Budgets, business plans and objectives in place, measured and reported
Case Study 6: Step Change Growth
Situation
- Owner Manager recognised need to build team
- Starting to win contracts beyond home region
- £5m turnover and breakeven
- Need to define and formalize ambitions and goals for growth
- Need to focus business strategy and objectives
- Need for management controls and information
Actions Taken
- Non-Executive Director introduced to coach Founder
- Managing Director introduced and development of first managerial team
- Second wave of leadership join to professionalise and scale the business
- Exit of minority shareholders
- £35m turnover, 750 staff, nationwide service
- Profitable growth and leading reputation for quality and outcomes
- Multi-million institutional investment to support further growth and partial exit for Founder
