OC&C Strategy Consultants

Embedded Finance is a real and sizeable opportunity for SaaS ERP and payroll providers. Our research suggests a significant 20-30% EBITDA uplift over 2-3 years, with a much larger opportunity down the line.  With seamless API integration and full control of the user journey, SaaS providers can offer valuable financial services while owning the customer relationship. We believe now is the time to act – with multiple routes to unlocking this opportunity available to SaaS providers – including via partnerships with a widening set of new generation enablers of financial services. These can significantly reduce the regulatory burden and the need for in-house fintech capabilities. Explore our latest insights to learn more about how to tap into this exciting opportunity here: https://bit.ly/3yhgFZL Contact our experts Justin Walters, James McGibney, Andrea Delconti or email privateequity@occstrategy.com if you would like to discuss further. #EmbeddedFinance #PrivateEquity #FinancialServices

We’re very excited to be attending and sponsoring Private Equity Insights in Warsaw next week. Bartek Krawczyk, Partner at OC&C, will be sitting on a panel alongside Tatiana Balkovicova, Piotr Sadowski, CFA, Michal Gorecki and Marek Rodak discussing the best sectors for private equity deals in 2024. PE Insights is the world's leading private equity community where attendees can access informed insights, credible news and access influential networks. We hope to see many of you there. You can find out more about our Private Equity experience at occstrategy.com #PrivateEquity #Deals #Poland #CentralEasternEurope 

We are proud to have been presented with a Commendation at the NSPCC Corporate Impact Awards, in the ‘Making an Impact’ category. This accolade celebrates our partnership with the NSPCC, using our skills and expertise to strategically help the NSPCC’s important work. Over the past two years alone, we have developed a capacity planning tool for the NSPCC’s community hubs, to help teams better plan the number of practitioners needed to meet demand. We also supported the NSPCC in identifying the areas of two new community hubs – analysing the needs of children in each area, the services already available via community partners, and the cost of building space. We have also worked with the NSPCC on our strategy for Childline, retail and have volunteered to support their EDI survey and action plan.   In the midst of all of the great work we are doing together, it is wonderful to celebrate our achievements and reflect back on the impact our partnership is having on the vital work of the NSPCC. #NSPCCCorporateImpactAwards

We're pleased to congratulate Alto Partners SGR S.p.A. and Arca Fondi SGR on reaching an agreement for the acquisition of Eurosirel S.p.A. We advised Alto Capital and Arca Space Capital Buyside. Eurosirel S.p.A is an Italian company, operating in the production and distribution of innovative private-label medical devices and cosmetics products for national and international clients including pharmacies, generalist/specialised retailers and pharmaceutical companies. Eurosirel S.p.A. researches, certifies and each year produces new products to offer their customers a range in constant development. Read more about this deal here: https://bit.ly/44HjTSj For more information on our expertise contact Marco Costaguta, Simona Dossena or email privateequity@occstrategy.com

This week, we’re marking Mental Health Awareness Week!  Started by the Mental Health Foundation in 2001, Mental Health Awareness Week has now grown to be the world’s biggest annual mental health campaign.  Around 1 in 7 working adults experience significant mental health problems. 24% of adults say they feel unable to manage the stress in their lives. And 35% of adults say they wouldn’t feel comfortable letting their manager or a senior leader know if they are experiencing high levels of stress or pressure at work.  This year, the theme set by the Mental Health Foundation is Movement. The idea is to get us all thinking about how we can build movement into our days, in ways that work for us and our physical capabilities. Keep an eye out for our posts showcasing how we’re fostering Movement in our global offices this week! #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek #MentalHealth #WorkplaceMentalHealth

Mostyn Goodwin and Felicity Latcham are presenting at AutosBuzz conference tomorrow! Their presentation, 'Where Next? Automotive Market Trends and The Opportunities for Digital Marketplaces' will discuss automotive trends, and the strategic implications for digital marketplaces, financiers and other competing players. The focus will be on future-looking growth opportunities for players looking to build a broader set of solutions for consumers, dealers and other clients, and will pull on many broader marketplace examples outside automotive. Catch them speaking in the Amstel Room at 11:15.

Most internet users have now sampled the online customer purchase journey, and many retailers may have already served their target customer segments. This is heightened further by escalating costs of acquisition as the fight for digital real estate and share of screen has re-accelerated post-COVID. Google and Meta saw their cost per thousand impressions increasing 25-30% 2020-23. This displays a shift in priorities for retailers moving forward. It implies a re-balance towards a growing share of customer wallet and searching for new target customer segments, rather than focusing on attracting new front-of-funnel customers which are becoming increasingly hard to recruit. Read further into our insights and recommendations in our RPI report here:https://bit.ly/3RfjG3S To discuss your retail strategy, contact Thomas Charlick, Matt Coode or email retail@occstrategy.com #Retail #RetailStrategy #PrivateEquity

Gymshark, once an online pure-play brand, entered into the brick and mortar business with a stunning flagship store on Regents Street in 2022 and a new permanent space in Selfridges London last month. But they're not alone! Brands like SHEIN and ASOS.com stepped into providing their customers with a physical store to shop in through exclusive pop-up shops at the tail end of 2023, providing customers with a new experience of the brand and its products. This trend aligns with our Retail Proposition Index (RPI) findings, highlighting the shifting dynamics of retail channels. Ratings for online-only models are, on average, declining whilst those for multichannel players remain consistently high. While challenges remain, it’s clear the high street is still needed and there are large pockets of winning opportunities, with many retailers finding their feet again and realising the vital role stores play in their customers' shopping journey. To uncover the key trends influencing U.K consumer behaviour right now, dive into our latest report. https://bit.ly/3RfjG3S For expert discussions on this evolving retail landscape, reach out to Thomas Charlick, Matt Coode, or drop us an email at retail@occstrategy.com.

High-street giant Next reported a 5% rise in profit of £918m for the financial year to the 27th January 2024. Through strategic acquisitions, including increasing their stake in Reiss to 72% and acquiring a 74% stake in fashion chain Joules with 100 shops, Next's success highlights the strength of omnichannel business models. In our report, we delve into why moving forward, omnichannel business models are better positioned to excel in the market, detailing four imperatives which retailers need to consider for the financial year ahead. To discover our four imperatives, our full rankings and how the channel power struggle has shifted, access our latest report: https://bit.ly/3RfjG3S To discuss our expertise in this space, contact Thomas Charlick, Matt Coode or email retail@occstrategy.com

We’re thrilled to be a finalist in the annual Nagrody PSIK, the Polish Private Equity & Venture Capital Association Awards. We are finalists in the Strategic and Commercial Advisor category. Nagrody PSIK consistently recognizes the highest professional standards in Private Equity, specifically focusing on how investors have helped shape and grow Polish businesses today. We’re honoured for that recognition and would like to thank our clients and the PE community in Poland.