Client: A leading international provider of semiconductor and embedded software training
Advisor: Alpinum Consulting (Lead: Mike Bartley)

Challenge: Aligning Strategy, Ownership, and Leadership for Scalable Growth

This global training company, known for its deep expertise in semiconductors and embedded software, was preparing for its next chapter of growth. The founding leadership team aimed to transition ownership, establish a more formal governance structure, and position the business for long-term success and growth. However, the company faced several strategic challenges:

  • Ownership Transition: There was uncertainty over the most suitable model, a Management Buyout (MBO) or an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT).
  • Leadership Gaps: Key roles in product marketing and future CEO succession remained unstructured.
  • Revenue Decline: Post-COVID slowdowns in core markets (UK, North America, Nordics).
  • Operational Inefficiencies: Fragmented delivery and infrastructure limiting scale.
  • Strategic Direction: Lack of clarity around product and market priorities.

Solution: Board-Level Strategic Advice by Alpinum Consulting

To support the firm’s transition, Alpinum Consulting delivered board-level strategic services and leadership scoping, including:

Executive Assessment & Alignment

  • Conducted one-on-one strategic discovery sessions with all founders, executives, and operations leadership
  • Assessed leadership capabilities to support a future-ready operating model
  • Advised on product marketing gaps and CEO role definition

Recruitment Strategy for New CEO

  • Facilitated discussions around succession planning for a new CEO to support long-term growth
  • Worked with stakeholders to define the ideal profile, role expectations, and organisational impact of a new leadership appointment
  • Collaborated with a recruitment company to shortlist six CEO candidates and supported the existing owners through interviews and the selection of the candidate who has remained in place since, much to the satisfaction of the previous owners.
  • Provided input on timing, process, and potential risks in the transition

Ownership & Governance Structuring

Alpinum delivered board-level advisory on transitioning ownership and strengthening governance. The focus was on two primary models:

  • Vendor-Funded MBO: This model enabled the management team to acquire the company through deferred payments or loans provided by the existing owners (the vendors), thereby avoiding reliance on third-party financing. It supported a smoother transition and fostered leadership continuity.
  • Employee Ownership Trust (EOT): EOTs were presented as a model increasingly adopted by UK-based training and professional services firms due to their tax benefits and long-term cultural alignment. Founders could benefit from Capital Gains Tax relief, while employees were eligible for tax-free bonuses.

Alpinum’s recommendations included:

  • Comparative financial and legal analysis of both models.
  • Evaluation of governance implications, including trustee structures.
  • Suggestion to implement hybrid advisory board models to support strategic continuity.

Performance & Market Strategy

  • Analysed market slowdowns and proposed sales strategies aligned with the client’s fiscal year-end timing
  • Supported investment decisions in CRM infrastructure and scalable course delivery
  • Highlighted regional growth levers (e.g., US private training, semiconductor verticals)

Board Participation & Strategic Insight

  • Participated in key executive board meetings (from 2023 to 2025)
  • Shaped budget and cash flow recommendations, including revised loan repayment strategy
  • Supported implementation of cost-of-living pay raises to retain high-performing talent

Results: Structured Transition, Strategic Focus, and Renewed Resilience

With Alpinum Consulting’s expert guidance, the company achieved:

  • Strategic clarity on ownership models and board governance structures
  • Role alignment for future CEO recruitment and succession strategy
  • Market-adaptive planning for fiscal-aligned sales execution in key regions
  • Product direction support through investment strategy and training delivery reform
  • Ongoing advisory relationship retained for continuity through transformation

Is Your Organisation Navigating Change?

Alpinum Consulting partners with deep tech, EdTech, and semiconductor-focused firms to define strategic clarity, enable leadership alignment, and build resilient operations.

Partner with CEO Mike Bartley and Alpinum Consulting to shape your next growth phase.

Contact us today to start your journey.

Author

  • Mike Bartley

    Mike started in software testing in 1988 after completing a PhD in Math, moving to semiconductor Design Verification (DV) in 1994, verifying designs (on Silicon and FPGA) going into commercial and safety-related sectors such as mobile phones, automotive, comms, cloud/data servers, and Artificial Intelligence. Mike built and managed state-of-the-art DV teams inside several companies, specialising in CPU verification. Mike founded and grew a DV services company to 450+ engineers globally, successfully delivering services and solutions to over 50+ clients . The company was acquired by Tessolve Semiconductors in 2020 and Mike worked at Tessolve as SVP. Mike started Alpinum in April 2025 to deliver a range of start-of-the art industry solutions:

    Alpinum AI provides tools and automations using Artificial Intelligence to help companies reduce development costs (by up to 90%!)

    Alpinum Services provides RTL to GDS VLSI services from nearshore and offshore centres in Vietnam, India, Egypt, Eastern Europe, Mexico and Costa Rica.

    Alpinum Consulting also provides strategic board level consultancy services, helping companies to grow.

    Alpinum training department provides self-paced, fully online training in System Verilog, UVM Introduction and Advanced, Formal Verification, DV methodologies for SV, UVM, VHDL and OSVVM and CPU/RISC-V.

    Alpinum Events organises a number of free-to-attend industry events

    You can contact Mike (mike@alpinumconsulting.com or +44 7796 307958) or book a meeting with Mike using Calendly (https://calendly.com/mike-alpinumconsulting).