Episode 21: Lizzie Meadowcroft – Professional Services Deals from Both Sides of the Table
Unlocking Value Podcast, episode twenty-one Lizzie Meadowcroft is part of the value creation team at LDC, the private equity arm of Lloyds Banking Group. She works closely with management teams across the LDC portfolio, supporting growth, integration and development. Before joining LDC, Lizzie built a career advising businesses on mergers and acquisitions. She spent almost […]
Episode 20: Claire Simm – Leadership Lessons from Growing Professional Services Firms
Insights on leading well as firms grow, roles evolve and outside expectations increase. Claire Simm is Managing Director and Global Head of Regulatory Consulting at Kroll. She has built her entire career in professional services, moving between Big Four firms, entrepreneurial boutiques and global organisations – and seeing first-hand how leadership, culture and expectations change […]
Episode 19: Unlocking Christmas
Reflections on our 2025 conversations and what comes next To round off the year, the show takes a slightly different shape. In this brief episode, John reflects on some of the common themes from conversations in 2025 and says thank you to the guests and listeners who’ve shaped the series. He also looks ahead to […]
Episode 18: Olly Purnell – The Anti-Exit Strategy: Building a Consultancy Designed for Long-Term Independence
Independence. Long-term ownership. Growth. What it takes to build a consultancy that lasts. In a sector where scaling often leads to external investment or an eventual sale, what does it look like to build a consultancy that grows, stays independent and develops a long-term ownership model for its people? Olly Purnell is the co-founder of Q5, […]
Episode 17: Pekka Metsaranta – No Co-Founders, No Roadmap, No Illusions
Inside the unvarnished journey of a solo founder learning to lead, delegate and scale in the world of professional services. In this episode of The Unlocking Value Podcast, John Howard speaks with Pekka Metsaranta, founder and CEO of Sisua Ltd, a consultancy known for stepping in to help clients succeed with their most complex programmes. From […]
Episode 16: Laura Morrill – Game, Set, Growth: An Investor’s View on Resilience, Partnership and Long-term Value
What private equity can teach consultancy founders about resilience, value creation and leading with clarity – with or without investment. If you’re leading a professional services firm and want to grow without losing what makes it yours, this episode brings clarity to one of the biggest decisions you’ll face: whether to take on investment and how […]
Episode 15: Tom Burnet – Building With Intent: Lessons on Focus, Client Service and the Courage to Make Tough Decisions
Intent. Commitment. Tough calls. The discipline behind lasting value. In this episode of the Unlocking Value podcast, John Howard speaks with Tom Burnet, an experienced chair, former public company chief executive and long-time leader across technology, services and people-centred organisations. Tom’s career spans the army, entrepreneurship, public markets and multiple board and advisory roles. On […]
Episode 14: Rhys Hefford – Build, Scale, Exit, Repeat: A Serial Founder’s Playbook
Building. Scaling. Exiting. Starting again, without losing yourself in the process. In this episode of the Unlocking Value podcast, John Howard speaks with Rhys Hefford, a serial founder who has built, scaled and sold multiple professional services businesses over the past fifteen years. Rhys has launched six firms and successfully exited two, typically taking each from start-up […]
Episode 13: Marcus Eden-Ellis – The Bid Expert Who’s Turned Selling Into a Science
From instinct to insight: the science of persuasive, value-driven selling In this episode of the Unlocking Value podcast, John Howard speaks with Marcus Eden-Ellis, the founder and chief executive of Bid Perfect, a specialist consultancy that helps organisations compete, persuade, and win. Marcus spent decades in senior sales roles before launching his own firm in 2006. Nearly […]
Episode 12: Adam Craker – Leading in one of the toughest markets ever and the subtle art of GESHIDO
How to stay agile, motivated and mission-driven through shifting ownership models In this episode of the Unlocking Value podcast, John Howard speaks with Adam Craker, Chief Executive of iqbusiness, one of South Africa’s leading consulting and digital integration firms. Adam has led iqbusiness for more than 15 years, guiding the firm through three distinct chapters: […]