DRAX

Leadership excellence doesn’t hinge on a single individual ticking every box, it’s about building a team with complementary strengths. But which behaviours truly drive performance, and how do they influence how teams function together? Our PACE behavioural profiling tool has identified four key behavioural traits shared by leaders in high performing businesses - Pragmatism, Agility, Curiosity and Execution – four behaviours consistently linked to exceptional outcomes in private equity. But each behaviour sits on a spectrum. ▶️ Pragmatism vs. Analytical ▶️ Agility vs. Mastery ▶️ Curiosity vs. Functionalist ▶️ Execution vs. Advisory True leadership excellence isn’t about scoring high across the board – it’s about understanding where you sit, how your behaviours complement or clash with others, and how your team performs as a whole. At DRAX, we use PACE to help PE investors and portfolio companies assess, develop and align leadership teams for value creation. Find out more about PACE here>> https://bit.ly/42veaOL #Leadership #leaders #management

As part of The LCap Group, we are delighted to share the news that INSEAD students will be able to enhance their profiles through the PACE tool. By understanding their own behavioural traits, students can gain valuable insight into how well they’re suited to the fast-paced worlds of Private Equity and Venture Capital – and how best to contribute and thrive within teams in these high-growth businesses. Read more about The LCap Group X INSEAD partnership below. If you're interested in how PACE could work for you, find out more here>>https://lnkd.in/g2J2spXB DRAX are part of The LCap Group #leadership #leaders #PrivateEquity

Are you a CEO considering your next move? The transition from running a private equity-backed business to becoming a Non-Executive Director is a well-recognised route — but it’s not always as simple as it sounds. The CEO role in a PE-backed environment is demanding: constant scrutiny, ambitious timelines, and high expectations. Stepping into a plural NED portfolio brings a different set of challenges — and opportunities. In a previous article, Josh Guest from DRAX shares what to think about before making that shift. Read it here: https://bit.ly/4iUK7Ho? #CEO #Leadership #PrivateEquity DRAX are part of The LCap Group

No one leader can possess all the leadership qualities required for high performance...but a team can. Our PACE behavioural profiling tool has identified the top 14 leadership qualities essential for success, and broken them down into four key traits: 🧠 Pragmatism 🧠 Agility 🧠 Curiosity 🧠 Execution PACE is underpinned by the largest known study of upper-quartile PE exits, carried out with leading psychologists at UCL. By analysing 30,000 upper-quartile private-equity exits since 2010, researchers identified a strong correlation between leaders possessing these four behaviours and top-quartile business performance. Interested to find out more? Connect with Julia Wagner Ph.D today DRAX are part of The LCap Group #leadership #PrivateEquity #leaders

We were delighted to partner with LDC recently to host a founders lunch at Moor Hall Restaurant with Rooms in Lancashire. It was refreshing to hear real founder stories - the pitfalls, the tough calls and the moments of doubt alongside the successes and personal highs. @Gavin Hartley, CEO of HSL Compliance, shared valuable insights as he spoke openly about the journey from start-up to multi-million EBITDA. From building the right leadership team for scale, to the importance of having the right systems and process in place and his evolving partnerships — first with LDC and now with @IK Partners — it was a masterclass in sustainable growth. Succession planning and future-proofing came up time and again. One CEO’s view? Hire for the future you want, even if it dents the bottom line today — it’ll pay off tomorrow. This recent event was just one in a series of thought leadership and networking events hosted by DRAX. DRAX are part of The LCap Group #events #leaders #founders

What are the key advantages of our Leadership Scan offering? 1️⃣ We can identify leadership strengths and risks early in the deal process, without direct engagement with the team. 2️⃣ We deliver actionable insights to enhance decision making, mitigate risks, and arm funds with the confidence to make more informed investment decisions. 3️⃣ Our reports offer an unbiased view of a team’s capability to execute a value-creation hypothesis, giving you clarity, a strategic edge, and arming you with the right questions to take to a leadership team. Investors who work with us have access to objective data and actional insights into a leadership team’s capabilities, during the pre-deal phase, to de-risk decision making. Speak with Mathew Cuthbertson or Benedict Hughes to find out how we can support you in making early decisions easier. DRAX are part of The LCap Group #leadership #PrivateEquity #deals

Retailers are under more pressure than ever to grow - but the smartest ones know that how you grow is just as important as where that growth comes from. According to PwC’s Retail Outlook 2025, businesses that embed agility, simplify decision-making, and invest in targeted tech are better placed to tackle the real pain points. We’re seeing this first-hand with the consumer leaders we work with — those building innovation into everything they do, staying agile in the face of change, and adapting quickly to maintain momentum. As Jacqueline Windsor, Partner at Strategy&, PwC UK, puts it: “Retailers today are navigating changing and competing demands—where the most successful retailers embed agility in their organisation to respond and pivot quickly. They make decisions faster (and learn from them). They make use of partners and select acquisitions. And they continually self-fund growth.” 📖 Read the full report: https://bit.ly/3FTj2G8 Want to discuss leadership strategies in retail and consumer? Speak to Harriet Forbes-Lange from our consumer team. DRAX are part of The LCap Group #leaders #retail #business

It’s clear that the role of advisors is shifting. At DRAX, we’re seeing more funds turn to advisory relationships earlier in the process to sharpen conviction, uncover blind spots, and drive smarter value creation strategies. Insight is no longer a back-end tool, it’s a front-end advantage. Contact Ruby Sheera to request your copy of our first Deal Advisory report. #PrivateEquity #DealAdvisory #LeadershipCapital #ValueCreation #DRAX

Succession planning too often treated as a contingency plan, dusted off only when a leader exits. At DRAX, we see it differently. Succession planning should be embedded into value creation plans — proactive, deliberate, and aligned with the growth targets of the business. We believe that leadership teams need to evolve just as the business does, and that the individuals who delivered success in one phase may not be the right fit for what comes next. That’s why we continuously assess not just who is in the room, but whether their skills, experience, and behaviours match what the next stage demands. For investors and leadership teams alike, understanding the qualities required at each stage of the value creation plan is critical. It’s not about reacting to gaps — it’s about anticipating them, and building the optimum leadership team before the need arises. Our team brings deep experience in succession planning that’s strategic, not just operational — and we know the impact it can have on outcomes. DRAX are part of The LCap Group #leadership #SuccessionPlanning #PrivateEquity

Congratulations to DRAX Partner Louise Stephenson (Associate CIPD), founder of the Empowering Women in Business network, on winning the Mentoring Award at last night’s Leadership Awards Northwest, organised by TheBusinessDesk.com. The judges praised Louise for her unwavering commitment to mentoring senior female leaders, championing gender diversity, and her phenomenal fundraising for Prevent Breast Cancer — a combination that made her a standout winner. Louise’s leadership is not only impactful but truly empowering, continuing to inspire women across industries. A well-deserved recognition. A special thank you to host Michael Taylor, and to guest speakers Joseph Adams and his father Phil Adams, for sharing their inspiring fundraising story. Congratulations also to all the shortlisted candidates across the 20 award categories — a fantastic celebration of leadership and excellence in the Northwest. DRAX are part of The LCap Group #NWLA25 #leadership #womeninleadership