"David Cooper's excellent book shows how management teams can be assessed thoroughly and systematically, and gives concrete examples of tools and approaches to help the process. Perhaps his most valuable insight is that understanding how a new management team is likely to work together is just as important as understanding the prior achievements of the individual managers. I recommend this book to all those involved in buying or investing in companies." --Adrian Beecroft, Co-founder Apax Partners "Private equity returns are highly driven by ensuring that a portfolio company's management team are individually and collectively equipped to deliver the investment thesis. David provides a robust framework for evaluating this, right from the start of a new deal." --Alan Roux, Executive Director, The Blackstone Group "David's experience of business through his extensive accounting career gives him a unique capability in the field of management assessment and support. This comes through strongly in this excellent book." --John Swarbrick, Senior Director, LDC Private equity and strategic investors have long recognised that leadership is a decisive factor in the performance of portfolio businesses.

Recent turbulence in the world of finance has changed the landscape in which such investors operate, making value creation more difficult than ever and increasing the significance of leadership even further. This book is built around the idea that, rather than assessing leadership, investors should focus more on leadership risk. From this perspective, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the management team represents just one element of a broader and more sophisticated process of identifying and mapping the risks associated with the leadership of the investee company and raising awareness of what will create or destroy value on the route to exit. This book will enable you to: Identify and manage key leadership risks throughout the lifecycle of the investment from pre-deal management due diligence through to exit Build a clear picture of leadership strengths and weakness on an individual, team and organisational level Establish clear development agendas which will maximise the chances of business success Frame leadership within the wider risk landscape to build a rich picture of portfolio businesses Approach leadership assessment and development in a constructive way, which will enhance the relationship between investor and investee.