Dr. Mike Hicks, Principal, Catalysis Advisory

This session will investigate people Issues in investor backed companies, and explore the complexities and opportunities for Business Psychologists, Coaches and related professionals.

Challenges in these areas often require teams to “diagnose, crystallise and make it happen”. These assignments can range from maximising team performance in high growth environments to helping organisations avoid hiring charismatic yet “Difficult and Dangerous” people.  However, a key thread through the work is managing change in rapidly evolving environments, and translating strategic priorities into actions producing successful outcomes.

Sometimes external help is needed and over the last decade clients have entrusted Catalysis with about 500 assignments.  Catalysis works in partnership with small and mid-market investors, Chairs and management teams, helping to inform decision-making and find solutions to problems arising at the interface of strategy, organisation and people. We aim to create major impact with only limited injections of our time.

Catalysis has supported investors and management teams in the following areas:
> Management due diligence > Strategy development > Organisation development
> Top team development > Senior hire assessment > Management referencing
> Private equity support

Mike Hicks holds a DPhil form Oxford University and has spent 27 years involved with Private Equity in various roles, with a particular interest in people and organisational issues. This session will explore the role that external advisors such as Psychologists can perform and how organisations can derive maximum benefit from such interventions.