We specialise in creating radical turnarounds in client performance by designing and delivering complex implementation programmes which include all elements of the business in their scope.
In our experience the key to success is an over-arching implementation concept that, when presented with the stated strategic aim answers the question: ‘How do we get this done?’ This is the most difficult aspect of the problem because multiple stakeholders layer competing demands on top of your core objective causing complexity to balloon and making it difficult to get anything done.
Despite this complexity we stake our professional reputations day-in day-out on being able to overcome these barriers. We have optimised our entire business model to enable us to confidently overcome this challenge and bring a unique toolkit and experience to bear for clients who are willing to commit, with us, to getting the job done.
What does this mean in practice?
- It means you must integrate strategy setting and delivery into one seamless process, and have a team that steps back and forth between the two effortlessly. To be clear, we mean real strategy, not operational effectiveness or performance improvement.
- It means you have the right team for the job. Not what you or your advisor happen to have internally. The right people – the best ones for the job wherever they come from
- It means you have one cross-functional team, not multiple competing agendas, but clarity from the outset and appropriate governance to ensure it is sustained
We insist on this because it works. Nothing else gets a sustainable result – and if you work with us we don’t come for the day out.
The toolkit we employ is broad but is always driven by and integrated with our strategy work, and varies depending on the business situation. If profitability is stable but strategic direction and performance needs to be renewed we perform a strategy-led transformation. If the business is losing money and needs to take radical fast action to reverse these losses we perform a turnaround, and if the business is close to solvency or liquidity limits we perform a restructuring engagement. In all events we define the implementation approach in parallel with the strategy or turnaround concept definition.
Our Turnaround & Transformation process is shown below. The emphasis and timescale change to reflect the business context – for example in a turnaround the emphasis on cash stabilisation will be reduced, while in a restructuring situation the first action will be to develop an all-inclusive 13 week cash flow forecast. In all events we start with stabilisation actions and then rapidly move to the design and implementation of the turnaround concept via a series of prioritised interventions impacting all functions of the organisation.
Case Studies
The following selected case studies demonstrate our capability in delivering radical performance improvement to companies requiring turnaround, transformation and complex implementation strategy support.
Turnaround
Case Study: Over a period of 2 years worked with CEO and management team of pan-European media/telecom player to successfully build critical new capabilities touching all areas of the business. Contributed to turnaround in profitability converting a €600m loss into profit in just 18 months
Turnaround
Case Study: Over a period of 2 years worked with the Group CEO and operating company MDs of a major European retail group to develop new business unit strategies and then oversee implementation programme through integrated client and consultant teams. Our joint teams reversed the decline in revenues and doubled the profitability of the business on a sustainable basis
Turnaround
Case Study: Over the period of 1 year we worked with the CEO and board of a major financial services company to develop new business unit strategies in all operating divisions leading to a radical rise in revenues and reversing the collapse in profitability
Transformation
Case Study: Lansdowne supported a leading EU construction dealership group to evaluate whether their current business processes and systems (procurement, finance, sales, etc.) were ‘fit for purpose’ to support the group’s future strategy. We produced a comprehensive business case to support our recommendation to define new common processes and replace the core legacy systems with a new ERP system, which was approved by the client’s Board for execution.
Transformation:
Case Study: A major public sector organisation was tasked with coordinating the implementation of a multi-$bn cost reduction programme covering over 4000 independent organisations. We helped to develop a transformation concept based on a collaboration model that made it easy for organisations to work together. We used this model to build consensus among key organisations and developed and handed over an overall implementation roadmap for the programme
Transformation:
Case Study: Market leading automotive services business was facing falling profitability and increased competition with limited understanding of customer needs. We developed and implemented a new strategy which re-focused all customer-facing activity to build customer value. We revised brand and marketing strategy and introduced a major retention programme leading to double digit reduction in customer churn and increase in profitability
Restructuring:
Case Study: Emerging market automotive OEM facing booming domestic demand but with outdated products & capabilities needed complete modernisation and restructuring to reinvent their competitive position. We developed & embedded new customer-led strategy & transformation programme leading to strategic partnership and multi $billion transaction
Restructuring:
Case Study: Major High St retailer recently emerged from administration was facing losses and high fixed costs. Developed renewal programme leading to 34% reduction in cost for the IT platform and assisted management team in delivering hardware and software refresh both at head office and in-store with minimal capital investment. We also developed business transformation roadmap to support ongoing turnaround.
Restructuring:
Case Study: We worked with a major European waste management company to develop and implement a restructuring concept covering rationalization, cost reduction and revenue growth.