Tag Archives: Operational Value

Why British Airways is losing to Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways

September 20, 2016 By in Management Tags: ,

I arrived at the airport at 10.50pm. My flight was scheduled for a 1:45am departure but I like to arrive early. It gives me time to sort out any issues, especially as I had a connecting flight with a three-hour window. And if there were no issues, well that was the perk of flying business – relaxing in the lounge.

I walked into the check-in area for first and business class. I didn’t see a counter for my airline open. It happens sometimes, they don’t start at exactly the three-hour pre-departure mark. So I sat and waited.

What transpired next was a complete breakdown in the operational effectiveness of the airline.

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The Family Holding Company: More Than Just A Legal Structure

February 25, 2015 By in Family Business Tags: , , ,

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With generational change increasing, the idea of institutionalising family businesses has gained wide spread acceptance. The magic formula seems to be create a holding company to hold the shares of the operating companies, a shareholder agreement, a terms of reference for the board and maybe add some independent directors to the board. Focussing on the holding company aspect, there quite often is no strategic plan let alone business plan. The holding company direction is set by the agenda of the constituent operating companies. Talk about the tail wagging the dog.

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Performance Reviews: Transforming Bureaucracy into Value

December 3, 2014 By in HR Tags: ,

Everybody agrees that performance reviews can, in theory, add tremendous value to a company and its employees. Everybody also agrees that in reality performance reviews are painful and often destructive. About the only point that is contested is who is at fault. Employees blame management. Management blames the employees. Everyone blames HR. Even HR. Continue reading →

An Effective Job Description Creates Value

November 30, 2014 By in HR Tags: ,

I have been a CEO at two companies and a senior executive or board director at several others. In nearly every job description for a CEO that I have seen is something similar to the following: “To develop, in conjunction with the Board, the Company’s strategy.” Sounds good but what does that mean, exactly? And how does sticking the board in the middle of it useful in any way other than to confuse who is responsible for what? A job description is supposed to be a map to an employee’s job. In reality it is usually a feel good statement that serves no practical value. Continue reading →

Operational Value Creation

October 21, 2014 By in Private Equity, 1feautred Tags: ,

Many of the PE firms that I have dealt with have had difficulty in deploying an institutional approach to operational value creation post their investment in a company. Most PE firms simply revert to expending a large amount of resources in the pre-investment analysis and due diligence phase and then settle on one or two board seats to manage their assets post investment. The large imbalance resource expenditure pre and post investment leads is a warning flag. Although the board is the correct way for a PE firm to manage its assets post investment it cannot rely on the standard model of a board member acting independently. The same resources that analysed the investment need to support the board directors in governing the investment. This same analysis is also useful for companies in transition whether due to internal or external shocks.
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