From time to time, senior executives encounter situations which require some external advice or assistance, but where a traditional consulting approach would be too conspicuous, too cumbersome or just too expensive.

There are many situations which may require sensitive handling, discretion and subtlety, for example:

 - assessment of a new market
 - potential for a new channel or product
 - potential alliances or acquisitions

 - regulatory change
 - operational change (e.g. outsourcing or offshoring)
 - organisational change

 - a business unit underperforming
 - a programme going off track or lacking strategic direction
 - existing resources (including consultants!) not delivering

Initial investigations of new ideas

Assessing the impact of potentially controversial changes

Identifying fixes for immediate problems, e.g.