Operational Support You Can Deploy With Confidence
You know when a portfolio company needs operational support. The question is whether the person you put in will land constructively with the management team, give you an honest read on what is actually happening, and deliver without creating a new problem to manage.
I have spent twenty years inside businesses like the ones in your portfolio. As CEO, as interim leader, as Chair. I know what it takes to earn the trust of a management team quickly, because I have been the management team that someone was sent to help.
What you are actually navigating
You have a portfolio company where performance is not where it needs to be. Maybe revenue has stalled. Maybe the plan is not being executed. Maybe you have concerns about leadership capability but no clear basis for action.
You need someone who can get inside the business quickly, understand the operational reality, and give you a credible assessment. Not a consultant who produces a report. Not a recruiter who sends CVs. Someone who can operate in the business if needed, or step back once it is stable.
The challenge is finding someone who is experienced enough to be credible with your board, diplomatic enough to land well with the CEO, and operationally capable enough to actually fix things if required.
How I work with portfolio teams
Independent operational review. You need an honest assessment of what is happening inside a portfolio company. I go in, work alongside the management team, and give you a clear picture of operational reality: what is working, what is not, and what needs to happen next. This is not a desk-based audit. It is an experienced operator spending time in the business and reporting back to you with credibility.
Chair or NED. Board-level leadership through transition, growth, or challenge. I support governance, strategic alignment, and constructive challenge, particularly in situations where the relationship between the board and management team needs experienced handling.
Interim leadership. When a portfolio company needs immediate senior capability, whether through leadership departure, performance failure, or transition, I step in as CEO or MD and take accountability for delivery from day one. My work often begins with an operational review and escalates to interim leadership when the situation requires it.
Ongoing operational support. For portfolio companies that need sustained hands-on support rather than a single intervention. This includes commercial alignment, recruitment support, and operational delivery, all drawn from a tested ecosystem of capability that deploys in days, not weeks.
What management teams experience
This matters to you because how the management team receives support determines whether it works.
I have been the CEO when someone was sent in to help. I know what it feels like when a portfolio manager introduces an external operator. The natural reaction is defensiveness: ‘Do they think I cannot do my job?’
I land differently because I understand that dynamic from both sides. My approach is to work with the management team, not around them. I earn trust quickly because I focus on operational reality, not politics. CEOs and MDs consistently tell me that my involvement reduced their burden rather than added to it.
The result for you: the management team engages constructively, the quality of information flowing back to the board improves, and operational grip tightens without the friction that often accompanies external support.
Situations I work in
Stabilisation and Recovery. The portfolio company is under visible pressure. Performance is slipping, cash may be tightening, and stakeholder confidence is eroding. You need someone who can stabilise what matters first and restore operational grip.
Operational Reset and Performance Improvement. The business is fundamentally sound but performance has drifted. Complexity has crept in, priorities have multiplied, and execution no longer matches intent. You need someone who can simplify and restore rhythm.
Funding, Refinancing, and Investor Readiness. You have a funding event, refinancing discussion, or covenant conversation approaching. You need confidence that the operational plan stands up to scrutiny and the leadership team can deliver.
Growth Without Losing Control. The portfolio company is growing but systems and leadership rhythms are straining. Revenue is increasing but margin is under pressure, delivery is inconsistent, or leadership time is being consumed by operational detail.
Commercial Execution Support. Commercial effort is high but not converting as expected. Sales and marketing activity is spread too thinly, pipeline visibility is limited, and the CEO is acting as the default integrator.
My work often begins through private equity or lender relationships. BGF, Harwood Private Equity, Seneca Partners, KPMG, and Bank of Scotland have all referred portfolio companies to me. That referral pattern exists because the work lands well: management teams engage constructively, boards get honest operational visibility, and outcomes are delivered without unnecessary drama.
“During my time as UK Head of Regional Restructuring at KPMG, I worked with Trev on completing a CVA of a publicly listed company in the UK; this was an complex and challenging project. From the outset, I was impressed with his motivation for taking such a challenging route; he wanted the best for all parties. Despite being pressed by certain parties to take an easier path favourable to them. He delivered an outstanding result in the face of enormous complexity and uncertainty. Resilient, reliable and straight, you want him on your side.”
Mark Firmin – Managing Director – Alvarez & Marsal Europe