Selected work from public-sector transformation, executive leadership, UK market entry, growth and
investor value-creation assignments, with Graham's role and capacity stated for each.
Councils and a consortium were implementing large, supplier-led technology and service change in education and children's services — Hampshire, Staffordshire and a six-authority North Wales consortium — in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
Challenge
Turning complex requirements into governed delivery, and keeping ownership, governance, adoption and the operational change clear between supplier and authority.
Graham's role
Senior Capita executive with supplier-side executive and SRO accountability for the programmes, working with senior council sponsors. Graham's Capita roles were Services Director, Product Management Director, Sales Director and Chief Product Officer.
Actions
Held supplier-side executive and SRO accountability for three public-sector education technology transformation programmes, each valued at more than £10m
Worked directly with senior council sponsors, including governance across the six-authority North Wales consortium as it moved to a common hosted solution with harmonised processes
On Hampshire, led technology-enabled service change across maintained schools and wider education services, including SEND and inclusion support
Led the professional-services and implementation functions that put the technology into council operations: configuration, migration, integration, training, adoption and transition
Outcome
Three £10m+ programmes led with accountable supplier-side executive leadership.
£10m+ ×3Programmes, supplier-side executive lead
Capacity Employed executive, Capita · Relevant capability Lead Business & Technology Transformation · Engagement model Executive role — the basis for Interim & Transformation Leadership
Scope These were supplier-side executive roles, accountable for Capita's delivery within each authority's governance.
Operating Model & Performance
Capita — restructuring Professional, Technical and Integration Services
Situation
Capita's local-government technology business needed its Professional, Technical and Integration Services functions — an organisation of approximately 100 people — to work as one, more scalable and more profitable delivery organisation.
Challenge
Improving the scalability and consistency of delivery while growing contribution, through a period of significant organisational change.
Graham's role
Services Director, with P&L responsibility for Professional Services and a wider remit across Technical Services and Integration Services.
Actions
Restructured the approximately 100-person organisation
Worked with Technical Services and Integration Services leadership to develop a more joined-up services proposition across implementation, consultancy, technical and integration capabilities
Strengthened delivery practices and management disciplines to build consistency as the business grew and changed
Outcome
Contribution taken to approximately £4m.
~100People in the organisation restructured
~£4mContribution after restructuring
Capacity Employed executive, Capita · Relevant capability Strengthen Performance & Deliver Value · Engagement model Executive role — the basis for Interim & Transformation Leadership
Business Integration & Organisational Change
Capita — Business Integration and Organisational Transformation
Situation
Capita's local-government and education software businesses had operated separately. They were brought together under the Capita One organisation and brand.
Challenge
Integrating previously separate businesses, aligning their operating structures, and restructuring the organisation to establish a more unified software business.
Graham's role
Part of the senior leadership team involved in the integration, contributing at executive level to the integration and the restructuring that accompanied it.
Actions
Contributed to bringing together Capita's local-government and education software businesses under the Capita One organisation and brand
Helped integrate previously separate businesses and align operating structures
Contributed to the organisational restructuring required to establish a more unified software business
Outcome
Previously separate local-government and education software businesses brought together under a single organisation and brand.
Capacity Employed executive, Capita · Relevant capability Lead Business & Technology Transformation · Engagement model Executive role — the basis for Interim & Transformation Leadership
UK Market Entry & Growth
Oksidia — establishing and growing the UK business
Situation
Oksidia is a Finnish SaaS company providing specialist education management software. Its Eepos platform supports organisations delivering and managing education services; customers include local authorities, music education services, schools and other education providers. It needed to establish and grow a UK business in UK public-sector and education markets, where it faced an established incumbent and where opportunities extend beyond its established music education customer base.
Challenge
Building the commercial and operational capability required to sell to, implement for and retain UK public-sector customers, while keeping the UK business aligned with a Finnish parent's product and priorities.
Graham's role
Co-founder and UK Director. Co-founded and established Oksidia's UK subsidiary and leads the UK business and its commercial and operational development, as an ongoing operating partnership delivered through Golden Sky. Graham also holds a shareholding in the Finnish parent company.
Actions
Developed and executed the UK market-entry and go-to-market strategy
Led UK product strategy and localisation, including integrations with customer finance and payment systems, migration and adoption
Led development of the Professional Services methodology for UK delivery, and built the UK onboarding, implementation and account-management model
Established the governance and operating rhythm between the UK business and Finnish leadership, product and development teams
Worked on Oksidia's approved-supplier status through Crown Commercial Service frameworks, which created procurement routes for continued public-sector growth
Outcome
More than 35 UK customers, with sales, implementation, onboarding and account management run from the UK.
35+UK customers
“His strategic approach to market entry is marked by a focused drive to achieve targets. This approach, alongside his seasoned understanding of the local market, has ensured that we have been able to deliver results.”
Tuomas OksanenChief Executive Officer, Oksidia
Capacity Co-founder and UK Director; ongoing operating partnership through Golden Sky · Relevant capability Accelerate Growth & Market Entry · Engagement model Fractional Operating Partner: an ongoing operating partnership through Golden Sky
Scope Framework status described here belongs to Oksidia.
CEO-Led Business Transformation
Welfare Call — Chief Executive
Situation
Welfare Call, a public-sector technology and services business serving approximately 105 local-government customers in the children's social care market, needed business-wide transformation of its organisation, systems and market position.
Challenge
Modernising the organisation and positioning it for its next phase of growth without disrupting delivery to local-government customers.
Graham's role
Chief Executive, March to December 2018.
Actions
Led organisational restructuring and a wider programme of business modernisation, including systems, operational processes and company rebranding
Developed the multi-year growth strategy across product development, commercial growth and new geographic markets
Led the development and launch of a new analytics solution
Initiated international market development in Australia and Northern Ireland
Outcome
A business-wide transformation led through restructuring, process modernisation and commercial change across a 110-person organisation.
110People led as Chief Executive
~105Local-government customers
Capacity Chief Executive, Welfare Call · Relevant capability Lead Business & Technology Transformation · Engagement model Executive role — the basis for Interim & Transformation Leadership
Product-Led Growth
FocusGov — Board Adviser
Situation
FocusGov, supplying products and services in children's and adults' services, was evolving from predominantly project-led delivery towards a scalable, product-led model with a growing portfolio. Graham was Board and Strategic Adviser on service-led products including the Care Leavers App and SEND information and advice.
Challenge
Building the planning, governance and go-to-market discipline to make a product-led model scale, including beyond England.
Graham's role
Board Adviser through Golden Sky, July 2020 to December 2024, working with the Managing Director and senior leadership team — strategic advice combined with ongoing involvement in execution.
Actions
Established a strategic business-planning and governance cycle, including monthly board reviews of performance, priorities and delivery
Supported the transition from project-led services to a broader product-led business and portfolio
Developed and implemented a revised go-to-market strategy for the flagship product
Supported geographic expansion beyond England, including market entry into Scotland and Wales
Supported FocusGov's successful Crown Commercial Service applications, securing approved-supplier routes to market for its product portfolio
Outcome
Average year-on-year revenue growth above 50% during the engagement, as the business moved from project-led services to a product-led model and expanded beyond England.
>50%Average year-on-year revenue growth
4.5 yrsBoard Adviser engagement
“Many times Graham has gone beyond his remit to help the business and has a very genuine enthusiasm for what we do.”
Simon NewingManaging Director, FocusGovReflecting on Graham's board advisory engagement, concluded December 2024.
Capacity Board and strategic adviser, through Golden Sky · Relevant capability Accelerate Growth & Market Entry · Engagement model Growth & Strategic Partnerships — board and strategic advisory over four and a half years
Scope Framework status described here belongs to FocusGov.
Investment & Proposition
iESE — social-care SaaS business case and MVP
Situation
iESE needed an investment case and a delivery route for a new SaaS case-management platform for the UK social-care sector, starting from an unvalidated concept.
Challenge
Defining a proposition customers would want, securing funding to build it, and assembling a team to deliver a minimum viable product.
Graham's role
Independent Management Consultant through Golden Sky, working with the executive leadership team, December 2020 to October 2022.
Actions
Led market research and customer discovery to define user needs, competitor positioning, target segments and the value proposition
Developed the commercial strategy, product roadmap, pricing model and financial business case, including build-versus-partner options
Secured £250,000 of investment funding for the MVP and assembled a blended UK and offshore development team
Led agile delivery with early-adopter organisations, and developed the follow-on investment case
Outcome
£250,000 of investment secured and the MVP delivered with early-adopter organisations.
£250kInvestment funding secured for the MVP
Capacity Management consultant, through Golden Sky · Relevant capability Accelerate Growth & Market Entry · Engagement model Diagnose & Decide through to Fractional Operating Partner
Interim Commercial Leadership
Investment Mastery — Interim Sales Director
Situation
Investment Mastery needed to scale its sales function, improve commercial performance and build the foundations for sustainable growth.
Challenge
Scaling the team and the sales operating model quickly, without losing commercial discipline or forecasting visibility.
Graham's role
Interim Sales Director through Golden Sky, working with the CEO and senior leadership team, June to October 2023 (five months).
Actions
Recruited and onboarded eight new sales professionals, redesigning the team structure and operating model
Introduced structured performance management, client segmentation and data-driven sales scorecards
Cut new-starter ramp-up from three months to six weeks through structured onboarding and capability development
Redesigned sales processes, forecasting and pipeline management, including a sales analytics dashboard
Outcome
A scalable sales operating model with stronger forecasting and commercial discipline, delivered in five months.
8Sales professionals recruited and onboarded
3 mo → 6 wkNew-starter ramp-up time
Capacity Interim Sales Director, through Golden Sky · Relevant capability Accelerate Growth & Market Entry · Engagement model Interim & Transformation Leadership
Investor Value Creation
Montagu Private Equity — Servelec Full Potential Plan
Situation
Following Montagu Private Equity's acquisition of Servelec Group in a transaction of approximately £225m, the Executive Committee needed a multi-year value-creation and growth plan covering product, commercial, M&A and organisational priorities.
Challenge
Turning an investor's value-creation priorities into a joined-up plan across several product businesses.
Graham's role
Management consultant through Golden Sky, engaged by Montagu Private Equity, January to November 2019, working directly with the Executive Committee.
Actions
Developed a joined-up product strategy across the healthcare, social-care, education and youth-services businesses
Developed M&A strategy to extend the group's market reach and support future growth
Worked on changes to the sales and commercial model to increase penetration within existing markets
Worked with the Executive Committee on organisational redesign and the operating model required to support the growth strategy
Separately, carried out buy-side due diligence on a public-sector education software business
Outcome
A multi-year value-creation and growth plan developed directly with the Executive Committee.
~£225mAcquisition context
Capacity Management consultant, through Golden Sky · Relevant capability Strengthen Performance & Deliver Value · Engagement model Fractional Operating Partner-style engagement with an Executive Committee
Proposition Development & Commissioned Delivery
Solution Focused Education — Co-founder and Director
Situation
Solution Focused Education, co-founded with Dr Geoff James, combines specialist solution-focused practice with strategy, transformation and business development. It needed its proposition, commercial model and delivery capability built from a standing start.
Challenge
Turning a specialist practice into a repeatable commercial offer for local government, schools and the not-for-profit sector.
Graham's role
Co-founder and Director. The role combines building and operating the business with strategy, commercial development, operating model and implementation leadership — not frontline practitioner delivery.
Actions
Co-founded the business and developed its strategy, commercial model, proposition and delivery model
Led mobilisation and implementation of a commissioned workstream within Lewisham's Maximising Wellbeing at Home adult-social-care transformation, working across four major care providers
Translated a strengths-based adult-social-care service model into structured frontline learning, implementation support and provider engagement
Built scalable delivery capability through structured programmes and digital learning
Outcome
An established consultancy with clients across local government, schools and the not-for-profit sector, and a delivered commissioned workstream within a council adult-social-care transformation.
“I couldn't have achieved this without Graham's business acumen and sheer tenacity to make sure we were focusing on getting the important stuff done.”
Dr Geoffrey JamesCo-Founder & Practice Director, Solution Focused Education
Capacity Co-founder and Director, Solution Focused Education · Relevant capability Lead Business & Technology Transformation · Engagement model Ongoing Co-founder and Director role
Scope The Lewisham workstream was a bounded workstream within the council's programme, commissioned from Solution Focused Education, of which Graham is a director.
