A short introduction to Azure Partners who enjoy helping their clients create and then implement effective strategies for their businesses.

2. Who are we?
Name Discipline Expertise and Experience
Mike Robson General Management, People, Expertise as MD /FD in leisure, electrical engineering and
Finance and Exit publishing in UK, Europe and Australia. Developed and then
sold his own company
Paul Chapman General Management, 20 years experience of high growth companies in UK, USA
Marketing and Sales and Far East in MD, Marketing Director and Sales Director
and NED roles. IPO experience on NASDAQ
Nick Brown General Management and Considerable experience in the process of buying and selling
Operations companies, and has run, developed and built companies
both in the UK, Europe and the US.
Peter Henry General Management and With a classic marketing background Peter has extensive
Marketing experience in marketing director and NED roles in blue chip
and SME companies.
David Mellor Commercial/Investment Banking and Investment experience as Investor Director of
Banking and Private Equity 3 software companies. Associated with Cass Business
School.
Nigel Pearcy Marketing, Sales, Operations, MD/CEO and Operations Director in a wide range of private
General Management and corporately owned service and production companies.
Helped develop and grow high margin, profitable businesses
to successful exits
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3. What do we do?
 We build businesses
 We have done it ourselves
 We now do it for a wide range of clients
 And it works, even in tough times. Our 5 most engaged clients
returned results of:
Increase in: 2008 2009 2010 2011
Turnover 31% 6% 10% 48%
Profit 101% 18% 126% 74%
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4. How do we do it?
 For seven years Azure have worked alongside business owners
to create and then implement effective strategies
 We use the teams experience - and Azure business processes -
to provide pragmatic advice and implementation support across
all business disciplines
 We have the skills, commercial experience and necessary
knowledge to help you enhance the value of your business

5. Case study: Improving management
Initial Engagement - Review and improve Board (4
Directors ) effectiveness to
achieve greater revenues and profit
Activity – Board assessment as individuals and
as a team. Restructure to place direct
divisional accountability for revenue
and profit on individual members.
Establish growth strategy
Other activities – Assess tier 2 Managers for productivity
and effectiveness and identify changes
and new hires . Develop sales strategies
and plans for each Division
Outcome – Revenues increased 18% and profit by
47% in 1 year
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6. Example Returns on Investment
 Software Company
 Revenue increase of 181%
 Increased profits over 3 years = £1.9m
 Investment with Azure = £108k over 3 years
 Instrument company
 Revenue increased 18% in year 1
 Increased profits in year 1 £150k, greater in year 2
 Investment with Azure = £22k
 Manufacturing Company
 Revenue doubled over three year period
 Increased profits to 10% of turnover – good in this sector
 Investment with Azure = £12K over 3 years
 Recruitment Company
 £20k ROI on £5k investment within 5 weeks
 + many other examples of achieving non-financial goals
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7. Attributes of successful businesses
A successful business should score at least 7/10 against the following:
1. We have a clear view of our future goals and how we will get there
2. We have the board, management and staff to achieve our goals and they work
towards them
3. We have the financial, operational and human resources to deliver success
4. We understand our market well and our products have a clear competitive
advantage
5. We have an effective and efficient marketing and sales function
6. We have an effective and efficient „delivery‟ capability
7. We have accurate, timely and relevant financial information
8. We plan our finances and understand future revenues, costs and risks
9. Our business is built around processes rather than talented people
10. We are confident in our management to deliver success
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8. Why work with Azure Partners?
“I am a massive fan of the right business advisors. I wish I had not been so
arrogant in the early days of my business and had taken soundings
from people” - Michael Jackson, the former Chairman of Sage and now Chairman of Elder Street Investments
“If I had not hired Azure I would have had to hire another Director at
greater cost” - David Connaway, Azure Partners client
“Azure really gave us three things – expertise in marketing and sales, a
vision and clarity of purpose that we didn‟t have before, and a discipline
that made us focus on our strategic objectives as well as the day-to-day
business.” - Peter Copley – Azure Partners client
“The Azure Exit Planning Process was very valuable. It kick started the
implementation of a coherent growth and exit strategy to satisfy the
ambitions of all of our shareholders. Of more importance to us, the
process brought the Board closer together so that we work as a unified
and effective team” - Managing Director, Building Maintenance and Systems Company”.
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9. In summary we:
 Have sat where you are
 Have built companies and have seven years experience of
helping others to do so
 Are experienced, knowledgeable and with contacts
 Bring tools and processes we can use to help you
 Visit the Azure Partners website for more information