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



                                                                                                              2
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%


                                                                    3
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
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


                                                                    5
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



                                                                         6
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


                                                                                7
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”.


                                                                                                               8
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

Azure Partners: An Introduction

  • 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 2
  • 3.
    What do wedo?  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% 3
  • 4.
    How do wedo 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: Improvingmanagement 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 5
  • 6.
    Example Returns onInvestment  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 6
  • 7.
    Attributes of successfulbusinesses 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 7
  • 8.
    Why work withAzure 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”. 8
  • 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

Editor's Notes

  • #6 14% make it beyond the 3rd generation24% survive through to the 2nd generation14% make it beyond the 3rd generation
  • #7 14% make it beyond the 3rd generation24% survive through to the 2nd generation14% make it beyond the 3rd generation
  • #9 24% survive through to the 2nd generation14% make it beyond the 3rd generation24% survive through to the 2nd generation14% make it beyond the 3rd generation