There will be a number of factors as to why a business does or does not offer “variable pay” – a.k.a annual bonuses and/or long-term incentives. These can include cultural choices, size and affordability. Often, businesses will just choose an annual bonus OR a long term incentive – with the most common choice being for…

November 25, 2025 Read more >

Boards track pay packages, bonus schemes, and KPIs. But are you clear on how behaviour is reinforced day to day – in the informal, often unnoticed moments that shape culture and execution? Performance is often won or lost here. Research and experience consistently show that culture does not just “happen.” It emerges when behaviours are…

November 20, 2025 Read more >

“Subcultures don’t signal misalignment, they reveal where strength and nuance already exist. Culture work should meet them there.” In private equity, culture is being recognised as a value lever, a driver of performance, resilience, and growth. But there’s always a catch: most companies don’t have one culture, they have many subcultures. Subcultures exist around teams,…

October 29, 2025 Read more >

Private equity investors are increasingly recognising that the success of their investment thesis depends as much on culture as on operational performance. Recent discussions among PE boards and operating partners have highlighted that even the most detailed playbooks, growth targets, or process improvements can be undermined if culture and incentives are misaligned. Strategy sets the…

September 24, 2025 Read more >