Private Equity
Operational insight that protects and creates value across the investment lifecycle
We help private equity firms and their portfolio companies make better investment decisions and deliver stronger operational outcomes. From buy-side due diligence to value creation and exit preparation, we bring 35 years of hands-on industrial expertise – across R&D, manufacturing, supply chain, and procurement – to every stage of the deal.
HOW WE SUPPORT PRIVATE EQUITY INVESTORS
01
De-risking the investment decision
Every deal carries operational blind spots that financial due diligence cannot reveal. Capacity constraints, product roadmap fragility, supply chain concentration, organisational readiness – these risks only surface through hands-on industrial assessment.
Red flag reports
Deliver rapid, targeted reviews of key operational topics to support go/no-go decisions in competitive bidding situations, with early identification of major risks and preliminary value creation drivers
Technical due diligence
Assess product-market fit, R&D maturity, technology feasibility, and roadmap robustness to identify development risks before they become investment risks
Operational due diligence
Evaluate manufacturing performance, supply chain resilience, procurement efficiency, and cost structures through site visits, management interviews, and sector benchmarking
IT and digital due diligence
Assess the maturity, scalability, and risks of the target's operational IT landscape – ERP, MES, PLM, and data architecture
HR due diligence
Assess management capability, organisational readiness, and talent gaps that could compromise execution
ESG due diligence
Review sustainability roadmaps, regulatory exposure, and environmental risks across operations
02
Accelerating value creation during the holding period
The gap between a value creation plan on paper and measurable EBITDA improvement is entirely a matter of operational execution. Financial targets must translate into concrete actions on the shopfloor, in procurement, and across the supply chain.
Value creation plan design
Translate investment theses into actionable operational roadmaps with clear milestones, owners, and EBITDA impact tracking
Cost reduction programmes
Deliver measurable savings through product redesign, platforming, modularisation, and procurement optimisation
Manufacturing performance
Improve throughput, reduce cycle times, and eliminate waste through lean methodologies and capacity optimisation
Supply chain restructuring
Redesign logistics networks, inventory policies, and supplier strategies to improve service levels and reduce working capital
Operating model strengthening
Implement performance routines, governance structures, and management processes that sustain results beyond the engagement
03
Executing carve-outs and integrations
Whether a portfolio company is being carved out from a larger group or absorbing add-on acquisitions, operational separation and integration demand the same depth of functional expertise – across processes, systems, supply chains, and organisations.
Carve-out execution
Design standalone operating models, separate shared processes and systems, and establish autonomous supply chain and procurement capabilities for newly independent entities
Integration planning
Define target operating models, synergy roadmaps, and integration priorities from Day 1
Synergy capture
Identify and deliver operational synergies across procurement, manufacturing footprint, and supply chain networks
Process harmonisation
Align operational processes, quality standards, and performance metrics across legacy entities
Change management
Align leadership teams, secure engagement, and manage organisational transitions during carve-outs or integrations
04
Preparing a strong exit
A compelling exit narrative requires more than EBITDA growth – it demands an operational story that buyers can trust. Sustainable performance, robust processes, and a de-risked operating model are what differentiate a premium exit from a discounted one.
EBITDA sustainability
Implement operational measures that demonstrate recurring, defensible performance improvements
Operating model robustness
Strengthen core processes, governance, and organisational structures to withstand buyer scrutiny
Operational risk assessment
Identify and mitigate residual risks that could surface during buyer due diligence
Vendor-side preparation
Support management teams in building fact-based operational narratives for the sale process
Powered by Mews Labs
Our applied science hub, Mews Labs, brings data-driven rigour to PE engagements – enabling faster diagnostics, sharper analyses, and more reliable projections.
Full-cost product modelling
Granular cost models that decompose product economics and identify margin improvement levers during due diligence or value creation programmes
Capacity and production simulation
Validate business plan assumptions on volumes, ramp-ups, and CAPEX requirements through industrial simulation models
Operational benchmarking models
Proprietary sector-specific KPI frameworks that benchmark target performance against industry standards
Optimisation algorithms
Data-driven models to optimise production scheduling, logistics networks, and procurement spend during value creation programmes
Explore our expertises
Many challenges sit at the intersection of strategy, operations, and technology. We bring together complementary practices to address them.
CLIENT RESULTS
ETO-to-CTO transformation for an industrial equipment manufacturer
Reduce costs and lead times on a UPS product range through platforming and modularisation, shifting from Engineering-to-Order to Configure-to-Order.
–20% direct cost reduction, –25% delivery lead time. Target reached in 18 months.
Results monitored and reported to PE sponsor throughout.
Operational due diligence for a European automotive spare parts distributor
Provide a fact-based assessment of operational performance and optimisation potential across 4 countries and 13 warehouses.
No red flags identified; 5 focus areas flagged for pre- and post-deal attention.
Two value creation levers quantified in purchasing and upstream supply chain.
Delivered in 10 weeks.
Product roadmap assessment for a marking equipment manufacturer
Assess the robustness of an industrial player's product roadmap and R&D capabilities ahead of acquisition.
No red flags on roadmap adequacy; two development challenges identified, leading to a targeted post-deal assistance programme.
Delivered in 2 weeks with senior management involvement.
Our private equity clients
Meet experts
Our private equity team combines consulting rigour with hands-on operational experience across multiple industrial sectors. Every engagement is led by senior practitioners who have managed transformations themselves.
The operational edge your investments need
From pre-deal clarity to post-deal performance – we deliver the industrial insight that drives returns.
Talk to our PE team