Supporting Private Equity Across the Full Investment Lifecycle

Author – Andrew Fahey

Private equity has always been inherently international. Capital flows freely across borders, sector expertise is global, and value creation plans increasingly assume access to new markets, talent pools, and revenue streams beyond domestic boundaries.

Today, that international appetite is only accelerating. PE firms are backing businesses with global ambition earlier in the investment cycle, pursuing cross-border acquisitions more confidently, and building portfolios that span multiple jurisdictions. For many funds, international expansion is no longer a “growth lever”, it is a core assumption embedded within the investment thesis.

What has changed is the complexity that sits alongside that ambition.

Global Ambition, Greater Execution Risk

Portfolio companies are scaling faster, operating across more countries, managing diverse regulatory environments, and balancing growth with increasing scrutiny from regulators, investors, and employees alike. Leadership teams are expected to deliver international growth while maintaining governance, culture, and operational control, often with lean central teams and compressed timelines.

In this environment, many of the risks to value no longer sit in market opportunity or strategic intent. They sit in execution:

• Is the leadership team equipped to scale internationally?
• Are governance structures fit for multi-jurisdictional operations?
• Can the organisation absorb growth without introducing instability?
• Are international expansions and acquisitions structured correctly from day one?

These are not unfamiliar questions for PE firms or Boards. However, answering them consistently, across multiple investments and geographies, is increasingly demanding.

Why We’ve Formalised Our Private Equity Services

Over more than three decades, we’ve worked across 80+ countries supporting over 3,000 businesses, including private equity firms and their portfolio companies. That experience has given us a clear view of where value is created, and where it is most often diluted.

Across deals, portfolios, and geographies, a consistent theme has emerged: while strategy is typically sound, execution is often constrained by leadership capacity, organisational readiness, governance maturity, and international complexity.

In response, we’ve formalised a set of services designed specifically to support PE-backed businesses from pre-deal through to exit, not as a standalone “suite”, but as a practical, integrated capability that PE firms, NEDs, and management teams can draw on as required.

Understanding Risk and Readiness Before Capital Is Deployed

Financial and legal diligence provide essential insight, but they rarely capture the full operational picture.

Through our work supporting transactions globally, we’ve seen that leadership capability, organisational structure, governance controls, and cultural readiness often determine whether a value creation plan is achievable in practice.

Our due diligence support complements existing workstreams by focusing on:

• Operational and organisational readiness
• Leadership depth and capability
• Governance and control environments
• Early indicators of post-close execution risk

The output is concise and commercially grounded, designed to support investment committee decisions, inform valuation discussions, and provide a clear starting point for post-deal action.

Supporting Boards and Management Teams During the Hold Period

Once capital is deployed, the focus quickly shifts to delivery.

For PE firms and NEDs, this period often involves supporting rapid change: scaling teams, entering new markets, integrating acquisitions, or navigating leadership transition, all while maintaining oversight and governance.

Our board-level consultancy and advisory work is designed to support this phase by helping:

• Clarify strategic priorities and decision-making frameworks
• Strengthen governance, reporting, and accountability
• Maintain alignment during periods of growth or change

The emphasis is on helping Boards and leadership teams maintain momentum without introducing unnecessary complexity.

Maintaining Alignment Across Investors, Boards, and Executives

As portfolios grow and internationalise, alignment becomes both more important and more difficult to sustain.

Drawing on experience working with PE-backed leadership teams across multiple regions, we support structured alignment around:

• Objectives and value creation priorities
• Roles, responsibilities, and decision rights
• Communication cadence and escalation pathways

This reduces friction, improves speed of execution, and supports consistent delivery across the investment lifecycle.

Providing Senior Capability at Critical Moments

Periods of growth and transition often expose gaps in leadership capacity, particularly in finance, people, and operations.

Our fractional leadership services provide portfolio companies with access to senior CFO, HRD, and COO capability when it is most needed. These leaders have operated in PE-backed and multinational environments and understand the balance between pace, governance, and delivery.

This approach enables:

• Rapid stabilisation during transition
• Strengthened reporting, controls, and people management
• Continued momentum without premature permanent hires

Supporting International Expansion and Cross-Border Transactions

International expansion has been central to our work for over 30 years. We’ve supported businesses entering new markets, building international teams, acquiring overseas operations, and integrating across borders.

For PE-backed businesses, this support focuses on:

• Market assessment and entry planning
• Structuring and compliance across HR, tax, payroll, and governance
• Commercial and sales enablement aligned to regional requirements
• Integration planning following international acquisitions

The objective is to enable growth while reducing avoidable risk and distraction.

Preparing Early for Exit

Strong exits are rarely achieved through late-stage preparation.

Drawing on experience supporting exits across sectors and geographies, we work with Boards and management teams to strengthen:

• Governance and reporting clarity
• Leadership stability and succession planning
• Operational and organisational maturity
• A clear, credible performance narrative

This supports smoother transaction processes, stronger buyer confidence, and reduced deal erosion.

How We Work With Private Equity Firms

Across our work with PE firms and portfolio companies globally, a consistent principle applies: practicality over theory.

Our engagements are:

• Tailored to deal stage and portfolio context
• Designed to integrate with existing advisors
• Focused on execution and decision-making
• Delivered by senior practitioners with operational experience

We work alongside investment teams, Boards, and management, supporting delivery where complexity is highest.

Closing Perspective

Private equity value creation increasingly depends on how effectively businesses navigate international growth, organisational change, and execution complexity, not just on the quality of the investment thesis.

The services outlined here reflect what we’ve learned over three decades, across 80+ countries, and through supporting thousands of businesses, including private equity firms and their portfolio companies.

If you are reviewing how best to support portfolio companies, whether at deal stage, during the hold period, or in preparation for exit, we would welcome a confidential conversation to explore how we can support your objectives.

To discuss this further, book a meeting with our Private Equity team or speak to your usual Briars contact.