Family Office Operating Partner: Stabilising a $300M Asset
Private Business • $300M Turnover • Loss-Making to Stabilised
A $300 million turnover business owned by a family office was in serious difficulty. The business was loss-making, with cashflow unable to meet creditor payments — a position that threatened its viability. Poor financial processes meant the owners had limited visibility over the true financial position, and a lack of proper management across key functions had allowed the problems to compound over time.
The family office needed more than advice on its portfolio asset. It needed trusted, experienced operators embedded in the business who could stabilise the situation, recruit the right leadership, and build a credible path forward for the owners, creditors, and key stakeholders.
Realign was engaged as Operating Partner by the family office to lead and stabilise its portfolio business — providing hands-on executive leadership and acting as the primary operational interface between the business and its stakeholders. The engagement spanned crisis stabilisation, executive recruitment, structural reform, and forward planning.
- Operating Partner — embedded directly with the family office to provide executive oversight and operational leadership
- Executive recruitment — identified, recruited and embedded a permanent CFO and COO to lead the business forward
- Creditor management — managed supplier and creditor relationships to protect the business during stabilisation
- Stakeholder liaison — primary point of contact for key stakeholders including financiers, suppliers, and advisors
| 01 | CFO & COO Recruitment | Identified and embedded a permanent CFO and COO with the right skills and experience to lead the business — ensuring continuity of leadership beyond the Realign engagement. |
| 02 | Finance Restructure | Overhauled the finance function and its processes — establishing accurate reporting, cashflow visibility, and the financial controls needed to manage a business of this scale. |
| 03 | People & Culture | Implemented a People & Culture function where none had properly existed — addressing the management gaps that had been a root cause of the business's underperformance. |
| 04 | Supplier & Creditor Management | Managed critical supplier relationships and creditor communications directly — protecting supply continuity and buying the time needed to execute the turnaround strategy. |
| 05 | Turnaround Strategy | Developed a structured turnaround strategy that addressed the root causes of losses, set a clear path to profitability, and provided the family office with a credible plan to present to stakeholders. |
| 06 | 3-Way Financial Modelling | Built three-way financial models (P&L, balance sheet, cashflow) to give the family office, its advisors, and key stakeholders a transparent, dynamic view of the business's financial trajectory. |
Realign stabilised a business that had been at serious risk. Losses were stemmed, creditor relationships were preserved, and the finance function was rebuilt to provide the visibility and control the family office needed. A permanent CFO and COO were recruited and embedded, ensuring the business had the leadership foundation to sustain its recovery.
A comprehensive turnaround strategy and three-way financial model gave the family office and its key stakeholders a clear, credible picture of the path forward — restoring confidence at a moment when it was most needed.
- Family office businesses require operating partners, not just advisors — someone who can act, not only recommend
- Cashflow crisis management demands immediate creditor engagement — delay compounds the risk
- Recruiting the right permanent leadership is itself a turnaround intervention — it signals intent to all stakeholders
- 3-way financial models are essential in a distressed situation — they replace speculation with transparency
- People & Culture is not a luxury function — its absence is a management risk that affects every part of the business
- Stakeholder confidence is rebuilt through consistent, transparent communication backed by credible financial evidence
Does your family office need an operating partner
Realign provides embedded operating leadership for for family offices navigating complex business challenges. Get in touch at with the team at Realign Partners or contact our Managing Director, Tim Bradfield on +61 400 082 750 or tim@realignpartners.com.au