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Engineering Consultancy – Survey, Civil and Structural

Key Contribution 

Improved staff engagement and business profitability, leading to successful sale. 

The Business 
A $25m turnover survey, civil and structural engineering consultancy with offices throughout NZ, a subsidiary of one of NZ’s leading construction and maintenance contractors. 

The Challenge 
The parent contracting company wished to exit the consultancy market. 

The Assistance Required 
Appointed as General Manager to lead the business and prepare it for sale. 

The Approach  

  • Initially focused on improving communication to raise morale and engagement; 
  • Met key clients to reassure them of commitment and service quality;  
  • Restructured the top team and instituted regular contact and reporting;  
  • Undertook a small-scale redundancy programme; 
  • Persuaded parent to invest, including in improved IT facilities; 
  • Brought in tighter project management and control;  
  • Generated improved performance within six months;  
  • Identified and engaged with potential purchasers;  
  • Also considered, but discounted, an MBO. 

The Results Delivered 
The business was sold after less than 12 months to an Australian consulting company seeking a platform to enter the NZ market.