Strategic direction

Mike at Cooperative NZ panel March 2026, credit George McDonald

When organisations are at a crossroads, we help clarify what direction to go in next.

That usually means getting underneath performance, understanding what is happening in the market, and being honest about where the organisation’s real strengths lie. From there, we help turn complexity into a clear sense of direction.

This could include:

reviewing historical financial and operational performance
assessing market and industry structure
looking at competitive position and sources of advantage
considering the role of strategic assets and partnerships
helping shape a practical strategic direction

Major partnerships and investments

Before you commit to a major investment, partnership, or acquisition, we help you work out whether it stacks up and what needs to be true for it to succeed.

We bring an independent view to the opportunity, the risks, and the trade-offs, so you can move forward with a clear-eyed understanding of the value case.

This could include:

assessing the investment thesis
researching the market and competitive landscape
evaluating the existing or proposed operating model
analysing value implications, risks, and trade-offs
reviewing the specifics of the deal on the table
making a clear recommendation

Two people at computers looking at details

Capital, governance and investment settings

We help organisations put the right capital, ownership, governance, and investment settings around the decisions they need to make.

Sometimes that means setting up something new. Sometimes it means revisiting an existing structure or framework that is no longer serving the organisation well. In either case, the goal is to get to something that is workable, resilient, and fit for purpose.

This could include:

reviewing and refining investment frameworks
designing the structure of a new venture or partnership
reviewing and revising an existing structure
assessing debt and equity capital management options
advising on governance, management, and distribution settings
helping clarify decision-making roles and policy settings

Performance under pressure

When performance is under strain, or the numbers do not seem to tell the full story, we help work out what is really going on.

We seek to understand the underlying economic and financial reality, whether that is across the whole organisation or within particular parts of it. From there, we help lay out the options, the trade-offs, and what we think should happen next.

This could include:

analysing underlying performance drivers
separating structural issues from short-term noise
comparing performance across business units or activities
identifying options and trade-offs
making a clear and defensible recommendation

Two people having a discussion in front of computer

Pricing and economics

Some decisions are really pricing or economics questions in disguise. We help break those problems down and turn them into something decision-makers can actually use.

That might be about pricing, returns, market dynamics, or value. The point is not to build a model for its own sake. The point is to help you make a sound commercial decision.

This could include:

pricing analysis and modelling
return and value modelling
market and demand analysis
setting out trade-offs clearly
developing a decision framework tailored to the situation

Insurance and legal disputes

Where loss, value, or financial impact is being disputed, we provide independent analysis that is robust enough to stand up to scrutiny.

This work is often technical, but the objective is straightforward: to provide a clear, evidence-based view that can support insurers, legal advisers, and decision-makers through a contested process.

This could include:

independent loss estimation
analysis of counterfactual financial scenarios
valuation and financial impact assessment
support for legal and insurance advisers
expert witness services