Case study
Pre-deal leadership assessment for a founder-led growth business
The context
A Northern European, founder-led company had grown quickly from family roots and was preparing for significant investment from a global private equity firm. The numbers were strong; the question was whether the leadership could deliver at the next level under PE timelines. The investor asked ig to provide a clear, fair view – deep enough to inform the decision, careful enough to protect the relationship they would inherit post-close.
The task
In a compressed window, we needed to assess leadership capacity as a system, not a set of CVs: where decisions really live, how the team behaves under pressure, and where single-point risks sit. The work needed to be grounded in the specific deal thesis and to translate directly into practical mitigations for the first ninety days.
What we did
We began by aligning on the primary task of this deal – the 12 to 18-month goals, constraints, and the few decisions that would move value – so leaders were assessed against context, not an abstract model.
Most of the assessment took place in confidential, structured 1:1 conversations with the senior team. These were coaching-grade sessions: respectful, demanding, anchored to recent decisions and near-term priorities. Selective psychometrics (Hogan Insights suite, including HBRI) were used as prompts rather than labels, then rolled up into a team-level picture.
We worked adult-to-adult with both the investor and management, set clear boundaries for attribution and confidentiality, and previewed sensitive themes with those they touched. The result was a board-ready synthesis and individual feedback that leaders could use immediately.
What we found
Strengths that matter for scale
A bright, driven leadership group with clear ambition and commercial instinct; strong cohesion and willingness to shoulder stretch goals.
Execution risks to address
- Concentrated decision-making. Strategy and key choices were highly centred on the CEO, creating continuity risk.
- Thin operational bench. Limited track record of running a scaled operation; gaps likely to show as complexity rose.
- Narrow external reference points. Long tenure inside the firm meant many first-time problems ahead with few “seen-it-before” anchors.
What changed?
We translated findings into a short set of moves agreed before close:
- Targeted augmentation. Add experienced operational depth (e.g. COO/CFO or an operating Chair/NED) to widen ownership and raise execution maturity.
- Protect continuity. Name deputies for critical roles; start joint ownership of key customer and regulator relationships; reduce single-person dependency.
- Make decisions faster and clearer. Define ownership for the top dozen decisions; separate debate from commitment; set a simple escalation path.
In the first quarter post-close, early indicators were positive: fewer re-litigated decisions, smoother cross-functional hand-offs, and reduced exposure to single-point risk. Leaders reported that the process clarified expectations and made difficult conversations easier to have.
What our client had to say
“ig combined a rigorous assessment with a very human approach. We left with a clear view of capacity and risk – and a practical plan we could agree with the team.”
Investment Consultant, Global PE firm
