The blog of the best freelance consultants I FocusTribes

Managing a carve out: Christophe's testimonial

Written by FocusTribes | Apr 15, 2021 8:43:00 AM

Bringing added value to clients through high-flying experts is what we do at FocusTribes! The community can both meet the need for highly specialized sectoral or business expertise and provide a global strategic vision to drive transformations.

 

The interview with Christophe, who has been a member of the Tribe for one year, is an example of this.

 

 

 

My background is in law with a Masters in Law from the University of Lille in France and a Masters in Industrial Relations from Warwick University Business School. I have 20 years experience in Human Resources management, in an international and multicultural environment. My DNA is focused on the deployment of people management strategies to facilitate business growth. I also have a lot of experience in deep transformation processes of companies, such as reorganizations, turnarounds, mergers, acquisitions or carve outs.

 

I worked with FocusTribes in the context of a change of strategy for the Professional & Retail Hair activities of COTY. The COTY group carved out the Professional & Retail Hair segment into an independent company called Wella, in which the American investment fund KKR acquired a 60% stake, with Coty retaining the rest. 

The objective was to effectively support the organisational change in terms of operational processes, but also in terms of IS, legal, and of course HR, finance, planning, procurement, sales and customer service.

I was part of the EMEA Project Management team responsible for the whole Benelux and its headquarters to ensure the transformation steps without impacting the business. An exciting project in a company with a strong culture, great people, in the always attractive and meaningful world of luxury and beauty.

 

From my past experience, carve outs, i.e. the transfer or sale of a business, are very complex transactions. They have to overcome a higher hurdle than the usual M&A. FocusTribes, through its community of experts, has the potential - the right expertise, but also the right attitudes and behaviours - to navigate such complex projects. That's why I felt confident to join FocusTribes and take on this transformation project.

 

FocusTribes is more than a traditional consulting firm. It can support a global and multi-faceted project thanks to the professionals in the community who have both process and business expertise. Another important point is that FocusTribes brings together both industry expertise and consultants experienced in entrepreneurial practices, which is crucial to guarantee a certain efficiency in the conduct of projects. This is the most valuable asset that makes the difference, and it is the reason why FocusTribes has become a trusted partner for a group like Coty.