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Complex · At-risk · Regulated

Programme Recovery &
Turnaround.

When a programme is in trouble, the stated problem is rarely the real one. We find out what is actually happening and build a credible path forward.

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Typical context
At-risk or stalling programme
First output
Current-state assessment in days
Sectors
Defence, NHS, Financial Services, Enterprise
Approach
Diagnosis before prescription

What this involves

Finding out what is actually wrong — then fixing it

When a programme is in trouble, the stated problem is rarely the real one. The symptoms are visible: missed milestones, escalating costs, loss of stakeholder confidence, teams that have stopped trusting the plan. The causes are usually buried deeper.

We come in, find out what is actually happening, and build a credible path forward. That means talking to people at every level, reading the governance documentation, looking at the data, and understanding the decisions that were made and why.

We have recovered programmes across defence, NHS, financial services, and enterprise that others had given up on. The work is not comfortable. We do it anyway.

"The stated problem is rarely the real problem. We dig until we find what is actually happening — then build something the organisation can believe in."

Recovery is not about blame or audit. It is about getting an honest picture as fast as possible and creating a plan that leadership, delivery teams, and stakeholders can all commit to.

How we work

The recovery process

01
Rapid current-state assessment

We come in without assumptions. Interviews at every level, not just leadership. A review of governance documentation, delivery data, and planning baselines. The goal is an honest picture of where the programme is, why it got there, and what the real constraints are. This takes days, not weeks.

02
Root cause identification

Most recovery work treats symptoms. We look for the underlying causes: governance gaps, decision-making failures, unrealistic baselines, data nobody trusts, or cultural dynamics that make honest escalation impossible. Until you understand the cause, any recovery plan is guesswork.

03
A credible, honest recovery plan

The recovery plan reflects what is actually achievable, not what stakeholders want to hear. It includes a realistic rebaseline, clear ownership at every level, the governance changes needed to stop the same problems recurring, and an honest account of remaining risk.

04
Embedded delivery support

We stay through implementation. Not to manage the programme for you, but to work alongside your teams as they rebuild delivery rhythm, governance, and stakeholder confidence. We build internal capability as we go.

05
Stabilisation and handover

Recovery is complete when the programme is stable, governance is working, and the internal team can manage without external support. We do not declare victory early.

Common causes we find

What is usually actually wrong

Governance that exists on paper but not in practice
Steering committees, risk logs, and change control processes that are completed as ritual rather than used to make real decisions.
Data nobody trusts
Reporting that has drifted from the reality of delivery. Leaders making decisions based on figures that have been managed rather than measured.
A baseline that was never credible
A plan agreed under pressure, without the information needed to make it accurate. The programme has been late since it started.
Escalation that does not reach the right people
Problems are known at team level for weeks before they appear in a board report. By then the window for intervention has closed.
Scope that has grown without acknowledgement
The programme is delivering more than was planned, against the same budget and timeline, with no formal recognition of what that means.

What changes

Outcomes you can expect

A credible, agreed recovery plan
A plan that leadership, delivery teams, and stakeholders can all commit to, built from evidence rather than aspiration.
Data you can trust
Reporting that reflects the reality of delivery and gives leadership the information they need to make good decisions.
Governance that works
Decision-making structures used in practice, not just documented. Escalation that reaches the right people at the right time.
Restored stakeholder confidence
Stakeholders who understand the real picture and can see a credible path to delivery, even if it is different from the original plan.
Teams that can deliver
Clear priorities, manageable scope, and the support teams need to build momentum rather than manage expectations.
Causes addressed, not just symptoms
The underlying issues are understood and resolved, so the same patterns do not repeat on the next programme.

Is your programme in trouble?

The sooner you get an honest picture, the more options you have. We are happy to have a direct conversation.

Talk to us See our approach

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