The principles behind the system, proven in practice
The Value Creation System brings together the disciplines Ignition BD and its founder, James Waddilove, have used to create results in complex strategic situations:
- establishing the economic facts;
- focusing leadership on the few choices that materially move value; and
- translating those choices into owned, accountable delivery.
The examples below show those principles in practice.
What leaders say
James led our end-to-end Group Strategy Review, structuring strategic options and trade-offs, linking strategy to cash flow and ROCE, and establishing the governance and OKR framework to support delivery.
Stephen Daintith, CFO, Ocado Group plc
James combines rigorous financial analysis with sound commercial judgement, and has a rare ability to align leadership teams around decisions that directly impact enterprise value. Importantly, he ensures insight translates into disciplined execution.
Duncan Tatton-Brown, Chair, Oxford Nanopore plc | Non-Executive Director, Trainline
James’s combination of intelligence and experience with a very evidence-based approach was a huge help in making the right, balanced ,objective decisions.
Rob Haward, CEO, Riverford Organics
Client Outcomes
ENTERPRISE STRATEGY RESET
We led a group-wide strategy review for a listed technology business, identified approximately £1.6–2.1 billion of potential value, and installed an enterprise performance system to translate strategic priorities into accountable execution.
Key result: Approximately £1.6–2.1 billion of ten-year net present value identified and prioritised.
VALUE CREATION RESET
We rebuilt the segment economics of a PE-backed branded food and wellness business, identified where earnings and capital were leaking, and created a focused agenda for the remainder of the hold.
Key result: Approximately $2.5–3.0 million of near-term EBITDA opportunities and approximately $8–10 million of further growth potential identified.
STRATEGIC VENTURE CREATION
Our founder helped a major UK retailer replace an uneconomic e-commerce model with a transformational platform partnership, leading the strategy and commercial diligence and negotiating key contracts underpinning the joint venture.
Key result: A £1.5 billion joint venture that later secured approximately 15% market share and generated approximately £100 million of synergies.
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