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Case Studies

Every client we work with is different, so the support we offer is too.


We tailor our advice and provide resolutions that match what’s needed. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach.

Family Forensics

Case Studies

Anna
“I had hit a wall – friends, family relationships and my confidence had crumbled; I was at a complete loss and losing everything. It took the team at KMA to help address the different challenges and help put me back on my feet. Words will never be able to express how grateful I am.”

Anna (27) reported the worst day of her life was on her 18th birthday when she was given access to her trust. She had not been prepared for this sudden wealth which came as a complete surprise and literally ‘blew her mind’. Although she had had slightly chequered early teenage years with two changes of school, she had been planning to go to university but with the opportunities that the sudden wealth provided, she shelved this idea. Several years later, having got married, struggled with

addiction and lost touch with her close friends, her exasperated parents came to Kedge Martin Advisory asking if we could help ‘put her feet back on the pedals’. Working across our team of psychologists, coaches and trainers we developed a six-month programme including an overseas volunteering project to provide a step change and paradigm shift. On her return we worked closely with her to help her develop her interests and find a role and social life more congruent with her wellbeing. 

T Family
“Thank you for making KMA available to help me, they have been a godsend – brilliant across the board.”


Australian David became part of the T family when he married the eldest daughter R, who along with her two younger siblings had inherited considerable wealth and properties following the sale of a significant part of her father’s business where the family still worked. Whilst David had been an accountant prior to the marriage, he shortly gave up his career and spent his time staying at home, playing polo and encouraged R to give up her role in the family business so they could spend their time travelling. The whole family dynamic was rocked, Mr T’s relationship with his new son in law was an unhappy one, laced with misunderstanding and suspicion. David’s style of communication and hedonistic lifestyle was also at odds with key and long-term personnel who worked in the family business

and in the shared family properties. R felt torn between her new husband, father and loyal staff, trying to smooth ruffled feathers and keep good communications with her siblings too. Kedge Martin Advisory were brought in to help establish a better understanding between David and key family and staff members’ values, expectations and communications. Much of the situation had been a result of misunderstanding and poor understanding of cultural nuances. David received an ‘onboarding’ programme to understand the history and the intended legacy of the business as well as the workings of the family office and its properties. He committed to contribute to his wife and family finances and is now working successfully in his former career.

Succession Planning

Case Studies

K Family
“The team are world class, good, firm, knowledgeable, wise, concise and transformational.

A first-generation Middle Eastern founder had established a UK family office to manage his financial and property assets, appointing a CEO with a financial trading background to have daily oversight of operations under his strategic oversight. While he had put the fiscal and legal structures in place, he neglected to think strategically about his children’s roles in the organisation and failed to prepare them for their future inheritance. He effectively gave them non-jobs in the family office, leading to vicious internecine warfare over territorial rights. The toxic environment led to the loss of key personnel and subsequent employment tribunals and

reputational damage.


KMA undertook an organisational review, implementing a new structure, and helped with appointing a family office team to ensure long-term success. We then worked with each of the children to develop their independent career path that would properly utilise their talents and interests. Their removal from the family office restored the organisation to effective management, and all the children are now happily engaged in independent careers. They clearly understand their responsibilities as non-executive directors of the family business and co-operate to further its interests.

Harry
“You have created a unique approach through combining so many threads that are typically focused on independently, thank you.”


At the outset of his career Harry spent time, as expected, in the family business, where he made a good contribution with his specific skills. His sister worked there too, but Harry felt her involvement and contribution was far less; however, she continued to be employed by the firm when he went off to work for other companies to gain extra experience. His mother was the most powerful person in the business, but she had not thought through a succession plan and was vague about next steps, so Harry was uncertain where he stood.



Harry asked Kedge Martin Advisory to help him with career advice and direction so that he could make a considered decision whether to return to the family business or strike out on his own. Concurrently he asked KMA to work with his mother to review the business and establish who would be best to play what role. Using psychometric tools and individual coaching sessions, KMA was able to advise on a new organisational structure which provided clear roles for the two siblings, which made best use of their individual talents and helped establish positive communication channels.

Learning & Development

Case Studies

Jack and Laura
“It was the most fantastic time, and continues to be – inspirational, fun, challenging. We are benefiting on so many fronts.”

Jack and Laura are American siblings who had finished their formal education and were soon to join the family business in different roles. Their mother came to Kedge Martin Advisory asking for a bespoke programme to teach her two adult children the skills not generally covered in formal education and also to expand their international knowledge of business. She feared that for all their academic achievements, they would find themselves out of their depth in the real world of business, working alongside more experienced but junior colleagues. She knew also that their competitive instincts might

lead to unhealthy rivalry that would affect the whole family.

We designed a training programme including separate experiential retreats to build their confidence, communication skills, financial literacy and leadership. We also undertook rigorous personal assessments to identify their strengths and interests to ensure the roles that were assigned to them were more suited to their talents and would give them career satisfaction. We continue to mentor both Jack and Laura who are thriving in their roles.

Amy
“Words cannot be written to explain how grateful we are for helping Amy at this critical stage and providing the foundations for her and the business’ future success.”

Amy (32) had been appointed CEO of a division of the family business in Singapore. However, it soon became clear that her need for control, poor decision making, scepticism from senior employees, staff attrition and conflicting priorities was putting both the business and her mental wellbeing at risk. Her father asked KMA to come and make an independent and therefore less emotional assessment of the situation and to find the right solution. Our chartered psychologist Lucean, who has extensive

experience of working at board level with plc and family owned businesses across the globe, designed a tailored leadership and problem solving programme including ongoing learning for both Amy and her team implemented by our team of trainers.

The older family members and her immediate team were also supported with tools and assignments to facilitate Amy’s onboarding into the role of CEO.

Legacy & Impact

Case Studies

James and Family
“Thank you for everything you’ve done for me and my family. I owe you so much and am so very grateful.”

James sold his business and jubilantly walked away with a considerable fortune. But his sudden wealth upset the balance of his life, removing his routine, drive and sense of purpose, and shifting his relationships with his family and his friends. He had been so focused on building the organisation that he hadn’t invested time in planning his ‘what next’ nor in preparing his family for their significant change in circumstances. Whilst he was now free of financial and business worries, he soon found his days felt empty and he became increasingly irritated by his family’s sudden sense of entitlement.

We helped James resolve his conflicted post-sale/transition feelings and put into place a plan to improve communications with his family and friends and work out what he wished to do with the next stage of his life as well as address long-term plans. James is now happily engaged in new projects which provide the challenge and satisfaction he needs. He has transformed the relationships with his partner and children and, with our guidance, is educating his next generation to manage their financial responsibilities.

W Family Foundation
“The whole process was a real page-turner; we’re all now heading in the right direction, consensually and with great enthusiasm.”


The W Family Foundation had been established as a simple grant-making organisation with no clearly defined areas to support, resulting in reactive ad hoc disbursements which caused disagreements and discord at family meetings. Something that had been intended as a collective pleasure of giving became a disagreeable and contentious task. The small executive team had become frustrated with the lack of strategy, poor impact measurement and difficult relations that they had moved on. Kedge Martin Advisory was brought in to ‘refresh’ the family’s legacy programme,

consulting with each family member to understand their values, motivations and interests and developed a workshop for the W Foundation weekend. Following this three-day event, with all family members gathered and some very energised and passionate discussions, a new outline strategy including further research, volunteer learning opportunities, potential partnerships, resources and impact measurements for the Foundation were approved.

KMA was appointed to search for a new Foundation Director and with him, helped select a new core team.

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