Services for Private EquityFirms
Citwell partners with Private Equity firms to unlock value and accelerate returns across their portfolio companies. We specialize in strategic and operational management consulting tailored specifically for PE needs.
Unlike traditional advisory firms, we implement improvements alongside management rather than merely advising.
Our expertise spans the full investment lifecycle—from accelerated operational due diligence through value creation to exit readiness.
We focus on supply chain transformation, operational efficiency, working capital optimization, and performance management to enhance EBITDA and position portfolio companies for successful exits.
Whether addressing persistent supply chain disruptions, strategic misalignment, leadership gaps, or execution bottlenecks, we deliver measurable improvements that translate directly to valuation enhancement and exit readiness.
Your stakes
In today’s volatile environment, PE firms face mounting pressure to deliver returns faster while managing increasingly complex portfolio challenges. The stakes lie in identifying hidden value, executing transformation rapidly, and ensuring portfolio companies are resilient and scalable for attractive exits.
Are your portfolio companies truly aligned on strategy and execution?
- Do leadership teams share a common strategic vision and execution roadmap?
- Are decisions delayed by misalignment between management, operations, and commercial teams?
- Is strategic intent getting lost in execution across sites and geographies?
Can you identify operational value creation opportunities fast enough?
- Can you quickly assess operational performance, supply chain health, and working capital efficiency during diligence?
- Are you confident in sizing EBITDA improvement potential and implementation feasibility?
Is deployment speed limiting your value capture?
- Can transformation initiatives be deployed rapidly without disrupting operations?
- Do long implementation timelines erode your value creation window?
- Are your portfolio companies equipped to execute improvements independently?
Are your diligence insights translating into actionable improvements?
- Are diligence findings translated into prioritized, executable 100-day plans?
- Do you have the operational expertise to validate improvement hypotheses?
- Can you distinguish between quick wins and foundational transformations?
Is exit readiness being built systematically across your portfolio?
- Are operational capabilities, processes, and systems scalable and standardized?
- Have you addressed leadership gaps and talent issues that could derail exits?
- Is performance improvement sustainable beyond your ownership period?
Our convictions
- EBITDA enhancement: Operational improvements can deliver up to 10% EBITDA boost
- Market positioning: Supply chain resilience and operational efficiency can drive up to 33% market share increases
- Cash generation: Working capital optimization can yield up to 40% improvements
- PE firms need partners who implement alongside management, not just advisors who recommend
- Transformation must be embedded in daily operations, not exist as separate initiatives
- Value creation requires hands-on operational leadership, not PowerPoint strategies
- Early wins build momentum and management credibility
- Rapid assessment and prioritization frameworks reduce time-to-impact
- Iterative deployment enables value capture throughout the holding period
- Scalable processes, standardized KPIs, and robust systems increase exit valuations
- Leadership development and talent retention are critical exit value drivers
- Operational maturity and resilience reduce buyer risk perception
Most PE firms focus on commercial and financial levers while underinvesting in operational excellence
Supply chain disruptions, inventory inefficiencies, and process gaps destroy significant value
Operational transformation delivers sustainable competitive advantage beyond the hold period
Our solutions
and approach
While our engagement timeline is tailored to each portfolio company’s specific context, our approach systematically addresses four critical phases of the PE value creation cycle.
Our diagnostic workshops build a shared understanding of operational challenges, reveal hidden value creation opportunities, and establish a pragmatic roadmap that balances ambition with execution feasibility—ensuring measurable progress from day one.
Accelerated Operational Due Diligence
- Rapid operational assessment focused on EBITDA and working capital opportunities
- Supply chain health check: supplier risk, inventory efficiency, fulfillment performance
- Operational maturity evaluation: processes, systems, talent, and organizational capability
- Quantified improvement potential with implementation feasibility
100-Day Value Creation Planning
- Translate diligence findings into prioritized, executable initiatives
- Identify quick wins vs. foundational transformations
- Establish performance baseline and target KPIs
- Build management alignment and execution accountability
- Define governance structure and progress tracking mechanisms
Hands-On Transformation Execution
- Embed transformation alongside management teams
- Deploy operational improvements: process optimization, inventory reduction, supplier performance management
- Implement performance management systems and KPI tracking
- Build internal capability for sustainable improvement
- Address talent gaps and leadership development needs
Exit Readiness & Scalability
Standardize processes and KPIs across sites/geographies
Ensure scalability of operations and systems
Document operational capabilities and improvement track record
Strengthen management team and succession planning
Prepare operational materials for buyer due diligence
Your gains
Financial Performance
EBITDA enhancement up to 10%
Working capital improvements up to 40%
Inventory optimization and cash flow acceleration
Cost structure optimization without compromising service
Operational Resilience
Supply chain risk mitigation and supplier diversification
Process standardization and operational maturity
Performance visibility through robust KPI frameworks
Capability building for sustainable improvement
Exit Positioning
Market share growth up to 33%
Scalable operations demonstrating growth readiness
Strong management team and reduced execution risk
Documented improvement track record for buyer confidence
A project? Contact us
Group Managing Director and USA CEO
Laurent Penard, a founding partner of Citwell and a graduate of École Centrale, has been in the consulting industry for over 30 years. He started as a consultant with major international firms and founded Citwell in 2004. Alongside his role as the firm’s CFO, Laurent leads diagnostic assessments and supply chain transformation projects for both SMEs and large corporations in the industrial, retail, and service sectors.
In 2024, he decided to focus on expanding Citwell internationally and took on the role of President of Citwell US at the Boston office. He then passed the chairmanship of the group to Guillaume Allemand.