Strategy

Future-proof your strategy definition, target models and delivery roadmaps with a focus on effective governance, data and automation

Why is strategy so challenging?

SIA (1)

We live in an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) world. Constant disruptions impose distinct challenges for even the most ambitious organisations to define a clear growth path.

No one knows their strategy, not even top leaders. Research shows that only 51% of top management can list its organisation’s top three strategic priorities. This number only decreases with business leaders further down the organisational hierarchy.

Execution is a people problem, not a strategy problem. More than 90% of organisations fail to execute their strategies successfully. Strategic plans often take great amounts of time and effort but are developed in isolation by senior leaders. Therefore, there is a lack of commitment and ownership by the most important stakeholders – those who will implement it.

A structured approach is required to develop and deliver strategy at a corporate, divisional or function level ​

Establishing an effective business strategy can be challenging, stopping you from setting and delivering on your goals. 
Through the fusion of NextWave and SIA, the Strategy in Action Programme helps you to build and execute your strategy to empower sustainable growth and scale, offering strategy not as a one-time activity, but as a continuous and iterative process. 
 
SIA diagram

 

Common challenges facing C-suite executives

If you don’t invest time in developing your strategy up front, you are likely to fail in the execution stage. As well as the articulation of the vision and the strategy, it is critical to get support from the key stakeholders for a new strategy to help pave the way for the execution. Appropriate time invested in the strategy definition will ensure that the organisation is not only aligned on what it needs to do, but also on what it will take to deliver it. We help you identify what to prioritise in order to accelerate your digital transformation strategy.

My board is pursuing a growth and transformation strategy, how do I deliver it?
  • Build a convincing business case for investment
  • Understand the key value drivers for your business

  • Develop unit economics and pricing models

Is my strategy for the business clear and do people understand it?
  • Interweave data and technology into your business strategy

  • Build a consistent executive narrative and stories

  • Set SMART timelines and goals

How do I get a better understanding of the transformation work which my teams are doing?​
  • Develop a roadmap for your strategy execution

  • Track progress using milestones and metrics

Is the organisation fully aligned to the strategy and are people equipped for success?
  • Align the organisational structure and your priorities

  • Coach your leaders to be successful

  • Empower and incentivise your colleagues

How much am I investing and what are the outcomes?
  • Leverage industry experience to identify winning strategies
  • Understand the potential risks and outcomes
  • Review your investments and rationalise your change portfolio
What new capabilities should I be building to future-proof my business?
  • Build specialist data and technology capabilities
  • Develop people with hybrid skills and breakdown barriers
How do I accelerate the delivery of the strategy?
  • Automate quickly and incrementally to build momentum
  • Leverage people with both business and technical experience
  • Use prior transformation expertise to remove roadblocks

How is NextWave different?

Our approach helps you create and operationalise a dynamic strategy owned and maintained by your team
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The right business strategy can be tough to crack

Transforming your business strategy into profitable growth is a formidable challenge, one that becomes even more critical in the face of constrained time and resources. In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, the stakes are higher than ever, and failure to adapt can mean falling behind.

 

Worst of all, strategy often yields mixed results and fails where it matters most – execution.

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You don't have clarity or ownership

You could go outside and get a big name player to build it for you, but this is very expensive, and disconnects your teams from those who will ultimately have to deliver.

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You're not growing

We’ve all seen it, a strategy that looks great on paper but falls down at the execution stage. It’s very difficult to deliver an effective strategy without a clear plan, ownership and clarity of results.

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You're burning time and money

To be done well, a strategy requires detailed planning and a thorough analysis of your company & the external market environment. It’s challenging to find the time and expertise to do this.

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Your team is disengaged

Strategy is often developed and owned by a small number of people – either internally or by external consultants – and remains disconnected from those who need to implement it every day.

We support businesses in overcoming these challenges to deliver measurable results to their stakeholders.

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How do we guide your strategy definition & execution?

SIA

What questions should you answer first?

We help you answer five key questions, enabling you to build a more resilient, efficient and effective strategy for your organisation and turn your vision into a reality.

Where we want to go
  • How attractive are the markets we are present in today?
  • What is our profit pool in our existing markets and how is it split among the different players?
  • Are there any adjacent or new markets we can tap into?
Where we operate and what markets to enter
  •  Do we have a competitive advantage and in which markets?
  • What are the distinctive capabilities that drive our Competitive Advantage?
  • Who are our biggest competitors and their core competencies?
Where we stand compared to our competitors
  • What should our Vision and Mission be
  • What is our ambition and what are the Measures of Success that will tell us if we are achieving it?
  • Where will we play in the future and how?
How we can get there
  • What priorities should we put in place to defend and extend our current market position?
  • How do we scale-up existing businesses that are relatively small today?
  •  How do we nurture options for the future?
What we will achieve and what we need to get there
  • What is the economic Baseline and what is the impact of our Strategic & Enabling Priorities on our Level of
    Ambition?
  •  What are the resources we need (CapEx, OpEx) we need in order to successfully pursue our Strategy?

Case Studies

Our clients have realised development improvements and transformed their timelines, speeding up their processes.

 

Operating model for a Commercial Road Transport (CRT) group

Strategy | Fintech

Data and technology strategy for a leading insurance and technology group

Strategy | Insurers & Tech

Data strategy for a global reinsurance business

Strategy | Insurers

Operating model design & solution evaluation for a rapidly growing investment manager

Strategy | Asset, Investment & Wealth Management

Learn more about the NextWave methodology

Our strategic focus areas

We help our clients implement their strategy by focusing on six key areas.

referral, multi level marketing, affiliate, marketing

Stakeholder alignment

Effective stakeholder management should not be underestimated when you embark on a new strategy or a change in direction. We have extensive experience of dealing with C-level stakeholders and can help align the senior team.

bank, museum, balance, finance

Governance

You will need an effective governance structure to oversee the execution of your strategy, including programme plans and processes. We can support your existing PMO teams to put this in place or set up a new Programme Office for you.

drawer, file, furniture, archive

Portfolio alignment

Embarking on a new strategy will require changes to your existing initiatives. Our experts can review your current portfolio and recommend how this is adjusted to align to your strategy. This includes starting or stopping initiatives.

bulb, light, idea, shine

Comprehensive Planning

We use industry-leading tools and methodologies to ensure that your customised planning process is efficient and effective. Our goal is to provide you with a clear and concise plan that outlines the scope of the project, the resources required, the timeline, and the expected outcomes. 

canvas, board, presentation, decrease, finance

Risks & Issues

Our extensive experience of delivering large scale transformation enables us to identify risks and issues early and ensure that these are highlighted to senior stakeholders. Taking mitigating actions early can prevent costly mistakes.

strategy, plan, success, increase

Accelerators

Delivering a strategy usually takes several years. NextWave’s accelerators can help you generate quick wins.

These accelerators include established and emerging Fintech solutions. Our team will provide ongoing support throughout the project.​​

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Our experts

Our team have decades of experience in top-tier global banks and have a proven track record of developing and delivering strategic change and executing business solutions for clients. They use their industry expertise and deep understanding of large scale transformation and innovative solutions to enable your business to achieve its near term and longer term goals.

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Iain
Iain Ivey
Co-Founder & Co-Practice Lead (UK)
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Kirstie Galloway
Partner & Co-Practice Lead (UK)
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Ilse Bakker
Consultant (NL)

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