Accellency is a strategic consultancy dedicated to investor relations and capital markets. Accellency advises investment funds, private equity-backed companies and listed companies at strategic financial moments: positioning a fund for a major fundraise, preparing a portfolio company for exit, preparing an IPO, or strengthening a listed company’s credibility with investors. Its team of industry veterans brings extensive buy-side and sell-side experience as investors and capital markets specialists, paired with deep sector expertise.
Founded in 2017, Accellency has advised some of the world’s largest private markets firms and listed companies at their most important capital markets moments, including IPOs in Europe and the US. Its investment fund clients collectively manage around $3.5tn of assets, and Accellency has delivered more than 200 mandates for over 50 clients, with a Net Promoter Score above 80. Clients include tier-one investment firms such as KKR, Ardian, CVC, Bridgepoint and TowerBrook, as well as blue-chip corporates listed in Europe and the US.
Accellency works with three types of clients. Investment funds and asset managers (GPs) whose clients collectively manage around $3.5tn of assets, including Ardian, KKR, CVC, Bridgepoint, TowerBrook, Eurazeo, Tikehau, Astorg and BNP Paribas Asset Management. Private, typically sponsor-backed, companies preparing an exit or a capital raise. And listed companies or IPO candidates, such as OVHcloud, Global Blue, Carmila, Klépierre and Unite Students.
Accellency is a strategic advisory firm dedicated solely to investor relations and capital markets. It advises investment funds, private companies and listed companies at strategic financial moments: to position for a major fundraise, to maximise value at a transaction or to strengthen stock market credibility. Three things set Accellency apart. First, its team brings extensive buy-side and sell-side experience as investors and capital markets specialists, so it assesses an investment case the way LPs, buyers and analysts do. Second, it combines deep sector expertise, in Financial Services, Software & technology, Healthcare, Energy & Infrastructure, Retail & Consumer, Real Estate, with deep asset class expertise, in Private Equity, Private Credit, Real Estate, Infrastructure, Secondaries, Venture & Growth, Impact and Hedge Funds strategies. Third, Accellency pioneered the use of the equity story for exit readiness and created ESTEX®, its proprietary methodology for it. Accellency works on preparing a transaction, not executing it, which makes it complementary to investment banks, placement agents and management consultancies.
Accellency does not execute transactions; investment banks do. Accellency works with shareholders and management well ahead of a potential transaction, whether a company sale, an IPO or a debt issuance, specifically on the equity story and the positioning of the investment case. It does not compete with banks: it works before them, then alongside them, for example when preparing management for buyer meetings at exit. For listed companies, Accellency works alongside the CEO, CFO and Head of Investor Relations to strengthen the company’s credibility with the market, independently of any transaction.
Management consulting firms work on the value creation plan itself, such as EBITDA expansion and top-line growth. Accellency works on the investment case: how that plan is presented to investors and buyers, which KPIs prove it, and how management should communicate it. The two roles are complementary, and Accellency often works alongside strategy consultancies, particularly on the vendor due diligence (VDD) ahead of an exit, so that the VDD and the equity story tell the same story.
No. Accellency does not raise capital, run fundraising processes or speak directly to investors on a fund’s behalf. It works mainly with a fund’s investment team, before the placement agent or the in-house investor relations team come into play, to identify the fund’s strongest positioning, as well as its risks and gaps, ahead of launch. Accellency then produces the marketing materials and prepares the team for LP meetings, while the placement agent runs the process and provides access to LPs. The two roles are complementary.
Accellency has sector expertise across six sectors: Financial Services, Software & technology, Healthcare, Energy & Infrastructure, Retail & Consumer, Real Estate.
Accellency was founded in 2017 by Goldman Sachs veteran Alexandra Prigent-Labeis, Managing Partner in London. Every Accellency mandate is led by one of its four senior partners. Romain Richemont (Managing Partner, Paris) was Investor Relations Director at Danone and TotalEnergies, is a CFA charterholder and runs the investor relations course at HEC Paris. Nick Webb (Partner, London) was Deputy Head of Research and then global COO of Equities at BNP Paribas Exane, after equity research at Goldman Sachs. Thomas Delanglade (Partner, Paris) spent ten years at UBS and a decade managing a multi-billion portfolio of listed equities and private funds, reviewing over 200 GP strategies.
Accellency is an equal opportunities employer with a gender-balanced, multinational team. It aims to reach net zero by reducing its emissions and offsetting the remainder, and it supports charities working on education and equality, including the Fondation des Femmes.
An equity story converts a company’s business strategy into a compelling investment case for potential acquirers and investors, and aligns its management team on what drives enterprise value. It is a financial narrative, anchored in real facts and data, that explains why the business deserves its valuation. According to Accellency, it rests on the right comparables, clear differentiation, favourable market dynamics, the benefits clients buy for and the catalysts for long-term growth, and it leads to a few top investment highlights. What makes an equity story credible is evidence: business KPIs such as recurring revenue, client retention or market share, and financial KPIs such as organic growth, margins and cash conversion, all reported consistently. A strong equity story lifts both the sector multiple and the growth multiple investors apply. A weak or outdated one creates what Accellency calls the “Zone of Disbelief”, a gap between the value a company has created and the value buyers or investors recognise. Equity stories apply to exits, IPOs, capital raises and listed companies, and need repositioning whenever the business or its market changes. Accellency pioneered the use of the equity story for exit readiness, to prepare private companies for exits.
An equity story makes buyers and investors recognise, and pay for, both the value a company has created and the value it will create in the future, using its track record as proof of its growth potential. Valuation does not simply follow performance: investors price what they understand a business to be, based on its sector, comparables and growth potential. When a company has improved but perception has not caught up, a gap opens between its true potential and the value buyers recognise, which Accellency calls the “Zone of Disbelief”. Repositioning the equity story closes that gap, but only if it is credible: business and financial KPIs, reporting and management’s delivery must prove it, because buyers will test it in due diligence. A credible story reduces perceived risk, aligns management and shareholders, widens the pool of interested buyers and supports price tension.
AI now leads the preliminary analysis of confidential information memorandums (CIMs) and vendor due diligence (VDD) reports. Buyers and investors use it as a sparring partner to summarise the investment case, flag risks and screen opportunities, and that first AI conclusion sets the tone for the rest of the process. Accellency’s daily work shows that the conclusion AI reaches depends on whether the documents share a common thread: an equity story that ties every section together, rather than a collection of static facts. The same numbers, framed, ordered or worded differently, can lead AI to different conclusions. Without a controlled, well-implemented equity story, AI reaches whatever conclusion the raw data suggests, sometimes the opposite of the one intended; with one, it reaches the investment case the company has built. In CIMs and VDDs, the same data generates different AI conclusions. AI amplifies the strength of a good equity story, or exposes the weakness of not having one.
Exit readiness is the preparation of a company so that it can be sold at the best price and with execution certainty when the exit window opens. In ESTEX®, the methodology Accellency created after pioneering the equity story as an exit readiness tool, it means a validated equity story, alignment between sponsor and management on what drives enterprise value, consistent KPIs and documents (business plan, vendor due diligence, management presentation) and a management team rehearsed for buyer meetings. Equity-story repositioning is an exit-readiness workstream, not a last-minute communications exercise. It should begin well ahead of a transaction, run alongside existing value-creation work and drive both internal operational change and an external shift in perception.
Investment highlights are the handful of key reasons, typically five to seven, why an investor or buyer should invest in or acquire a company. They are the core pillars of an equity story. They need to be chosen carefully, then echoed consistently in every investor conversation and every document produced. ESTEX®, the methodology created by Accellency, is a systematic way of identifying a company’s investment highlights.
A fund’s go-to-market strategy defines how a GP positions a fund for LPs ahead of its launch, whether it is a new strategy or a new vintage of an existing flagship strategy. It sets out which differentiators to lead with versus peers, how the fund fits the current macro environment and LPs’ asset allocation priorities, which messages each team member uses, and how the fundraising materials support them.
A capital markets day is an event at which a listed company’s management presents its strategy, medium-term targets and business units to investors and analysts in more depth than at quarterly results. Done well, it resets how the market perceives the company.
An investor perception study gathers structured feedback from investors and analysts on how they view a company: its strategy, management, communication and valuation. Accellency uses perception studies to identify the gap between how a company sees itself and how the market sees it, and to prioritise investor relations actions.
Thought leadership is content, such as white papers or conviction papers, through which a GP showcases its expertise and point of view and attracts decision-makers across the ecosystem: LPs, investment consultants and portfolio companies. Accellency delivers the strategy, advanced market research (including interviews) and content production support, and writes the content so that it can also be read and cited by AI engines that LPs increasingly use to research managers.
For investment funds, Accellency shapes positioning, from go-to-market strategy to exit readiness for portfolio companies. Accellency works with investment and investor relations teams to provide strategic advisory for new vintages of flagship funds and platform launches, positioning the fund’s strategy on key differentiators versus peers, asset allocation, market dynamics and LP priorities. Accellency builds LP-facing material (AGMs, investor days, DDQs, PPMs, thought leadership) and prepares teams with full roadshow preparation: drafting the pitch, script review, delivery coaching and mock LP meetings. This work spans strategy, content and delivery to maximise alignment across marketing materials and pitching. GPs typically engage Accellency ahead of a fundraise, an AGM or a portfolio company exit.
Ideally about six months before pre-marketing starts. This gives Accellency time to build a full go-to-market strategy, refine the fund’s positioning and materials, and prepare the team before LP conversations begin.
Accellency has in-house expertise across eight asset classes: Private Equity, Private Credit, Real Estate, Infrastructure, Secondaries, Venture & Growth, Impact and Hedge Funds strategies. Within private credit, for example, Accellency has positioned direct lending, real estate debt, asset-based finance and risk-sharing strategies. Accellency works mainly with established GPs, on flagship fund vintages, new platform launches and adjacent strategy launches.
Accellency helps GPs stand out by defining a small number of differentiators that matter to LPs today, rather than repeating the last vintage’s pitch. With just over half of committed capital going to the 100 largest funds in 2024 (Preqin), Accellency focuses on a sharp positioning versus named peers, evidence-based track record messaging, consistent materials and a team that delivers the same story in every LP meeting.
Accellency treats the AGM as an inflection point to boost the GP’s profile with existing LPs, trigger a shift in perception and enhance platform value ahead of the next fundraise. Accellency designs AGMs and LP investor days around forward-looking content, genuine dialogue with LPs, time for peer networking and thoroughly prepared speakers, and delivers them end-to-end, from event strategy and slides to scripting and delivery coaching.
Accellency produces and reviews DDQs and PPMs to turn the core documents LPs use to evaluate a fund into tools that build the GP’s credibility. Each document reflects current market dynamics, key differentiators and rising LP expectations, rather than a copy-and-paste of the last vintage.
Accellency writes thought leadership that AI engines can read and cite, so that when LPs use those tools to research a GP, the fund is described accurately and favourably. This matters because investment professionals increasingly use AI-generated analysis in their decisions. Accellency also helps clients monitor how AI engines currently describe them.
Accellency runs roadshow preparation in stages: an elevator pitch and core messages for every team member, a model Q&A covering difficult LP questions, script review, LP meeting techniques, individual coaching and mock LP meetings. The aim is that partners, investment professionals, sales teams and IR staff all present the same positioning and metrics with confidence.
Accellency provides portfolio companies with equity story repositioning, exit readiness, operational support, financial marketing, management coaching, and IPO and private placement positioning. Accellency intervenes ahead of an exit to make the company sale-ready, with a management team prepared to present with impact to buyers.
Accellency recommends starting 12 to 18 months before the formal sale process. This lead time allows Accellency to reposition the equity story with its 8-step ESTEX® methodology, align management and shareholders, build the supporting KPIs and coach the team before buyers are in the room.
An Accellency exit readiness mandate typically delivers a validated equity story and top investment highlights; alignment between the sponsor and the executive committee on value drivers; KPIs that evidence the story; consistency across the business plan, vendor due diligence, information memorandum and management presentation; a teaser and talking points; a model Q&A; and coaching of the management team for buyer meetings.
Most exit readiness mandates are commissioned by the private equity sponsor and carried out hand in hand with the management team, because the goal is to align both on one equity story.
Accellency usually works before the M&A adviser and, in most cases, before the vendor due diligence (VDD) strategy consultancy, although sometimes alongside or after them. Before the deal team gets to work, Accellency aligns management and shareholders on the equity story and tests the company’s exit readiness. Working this early allows Accellency to carry out a gap analysis, identifying what is missing and the changes required before the company goes to market. Once the M&A adviser and VDD strategy consultancy are appointed, Accellency makes sure the business plan, VDD, information memorandum and management presentation tell the same story, briefing the strategy consultancy so that growth drivers, sector positioning and key definitions reflect the equity story.
No. Accellency also repositions equity stories mid-hold, for example after an acquisition, a change of strategy or a new management team, because a weak or dated equity story leaves a company in a lower-valued bucket than it deserves. As markets shift and higher-valued sectors emerge, repositioning mid-hold keeps the company in the right sector with a credible growth story, and gives it time to build the KPIs and track record that support it well before the exit window.
Accellency works with many of the world’s largest investment funds, as well as mid-cap and large private and listed companies, at strategic financial moments such as a major fundraise, an exit or an IPO.
Accellency works with listed companies, including some of the largest, throughout their listing journey, not only at IPO. It provides strategic investor relations advisory, equity stories for listed companies and IPO candidates, capital markets days, investor perception studies, and training and coaching. Beyond the IPO, Accellency supports large listed companies on an ongoing basis, for example around a capital markets day, a strategic change or a period when the share price does not reflect the company’s value, to strengthen the equity story and the investor relations programme.
A compelling equity story is an absolute must-have for any listed company: without one, value is destroyed. The equity story is the first defence against activism campaigns. It must showcase the model’s differentiating strengths against the macro backdrop. It demands deep insight into how investors decide and insists on transformation potential rather than past performance. And it needs to be amplified through every channel, from earnings releases to analyst reports and earned media.
Accellency runs the equity stream of an IPO alongside the investment banks: defining the investment highlights and financial messaging, refining the analyst presentation and management deep dives, preparing the management team, and continuing as investor relations adviser after listing. Accellency has done this for major IPOs in Europe and the US, including OVHcloud and Global Blue.
Ideally 18 to 24 months before the listing. OVHcloud, for example, mandated Accellency two years before its IPO on Euronext Paris, which allowed the equity story, KPIs and investor relations function to be built before the banks’ process started.
Yes. Accellency diagnoses why the market discounts a company, for example unclear growth drivers, a mature-sector label or inconsistent KPIs, and repositions the equity story to address it. Accellency has published research on why mature consumer brands trade at a discount and how to fix it.
Yes. Accellency’s strategic investor relations advisory anticipates market reaction and supports companies with fully drafted communications, scripted messaging, model Q&As and investor presentations for results, strategic announcements and transactions.
No. Accellency works alongside the CFO and the in-house investor relations team as a senior sparring partner and extra capacity at key moments.
Yes. Although Accellency is not a media relations agency, Accellency generates the materials for use either by internal communication teams or press relations agencies.
Yes. Accellency plans, designs and executes high-quality capital markets days end-to-end for listed companies, engaging the financial community effectively and boosting interest in their shares. The service covers event strategy, content design and equity story, presentation production, scripting, Q&A preparation, project management and delivery coaching for the speakers.
Yes, Accellency provides crisis management and activism advisory. No company is immune: an activist campaign can wipe out years of value in days and put the board on trial. Accellency builds multiple lines of defence: a robust equity story, pre-emptive mapping of vulnerabilities, and battle-ready messaging and protocols. When crisis hits, Accellency activates every channel at once, from investors and analysts to media and social media, and its banking, research and buy-side DNA lets it anticipate market reactions before they unfold.
Accellency Academy is the training arm of Accellency. It prepares executives and investment professionals to communicate complex financial and strategic messages with clarity and impact ahead of high-stakes moments such as roadshows, AGMs, capital markets days and exit processes, through keynotes, workshops and individual coaching.
Accellency Academy covers investor pitching, storytelling with numbers, handling difficult Q&A, presence and public speaking, and leadership communication. Sessions combine real-life case studies, behavioural science and practical exercises, and are led by practitioners including certified executive coaches and former capital markets professionals.
Accellency Academy is designed for CEOs, CFOs, executive committees, investor relations teams, and partners and investment professionals at private markets firms. It can be booked as a stand-alone programme or as part of an Accellency advisory mandate.
ESTEX® (Equity Story for Exit Readiness) is the proprietary methodology created by Accellency, which pioneered the use of the equity story as an exit readiness tool. It is an 8-step methodology that converts a company’s strategy into an investor-focused equity story ahead of a transaction. The eight steps cover choosing the right analogy, differentiation, market dynamics, client benefits, growth catalysts, business units, the business narrative and, finally, the top investment highlights.
Accellency’s go-to-market methodology is a proprietary 8-step approach that turns a fund’s key selling points and differentiators into a pitch that triggers LP interest. The eight steps cover analogy, differentiation, strategic messaging and fund positioning, market intelligence, marketing materials, DDQs, sales-team tools such as elevator pitches and model Q&As, and roadshow delivery coaching.
Accellency’s work centres on human interaction and critical strategic thinking, and it uses AI to accelerate document production based on its in-house methodologies. In-person services such as coaching are not replaceable by AI. Accellency also helps clients monitor how AI engines perceive their company or fund, and tailors deliverables to strengthen that perception.
An Accellency engagement usually starts with a diagnostic of existing materials and interviews with management, shareholders or investors, followed by workshops to build the story, drafting of the key documents, and coaching before delivery. A partner leads every mandate from start to finish. An equity story or go-to-market mandate typically takes around three months.
Accellency works on highly sensitive situations such as exits, IPOs and fundraisings and treats all client information as strictly confidential, under a non-disclosure agreement where requested. Mandates are referenced publicly only with the client’s consent.
You can contact Accellency by email at info@accellency.eu, by phone in London on +44 (0)20 3950 4218 or in Paris on +33 (0)1 72 77 43 71, or through the contact form at accellency.eu/contact-us.
Accellency is a strategic consultancy dedicated to investor relations and capital markets. Accellency advises investment funds, private equity-backed companies and listed companies at strategic financial moments: positioning a fund for a major fundraise, preparing a portfolio company for exit, preparing an IPO, or strengthening a listed company's credibility with investors. Its team of experienced industry professionals brings extensive buy-side and sell-side experience as investors and capital markets specialists, paired with deep sector expertise.
Founded in 2017, Accellency has advised some of the world's largest private markets firms and listed companies at their most important capital markets moments, including IPOs in Europe and the US. Its investment fund clients collectively manage around $3.5tn of assets, and Accellency has delivered more than 200 mandates for over 50 clients, with a Net Promoter Score above 80. Clients include tier-one investment firms such as KKR, Ardian, CVC, Bridgepoint and TowerBrook, as well as blue-chip corporates listed in Europe and the US.
Accellency works with three types of clients. Investment funds and asset managers (GPs) whose clients collectively manage around $3.5tn of assets, including Ardian, KKR, CVC, Bridgepoint, TowerBrook, Eurazeo, Tikehau, Astorg and BNP Paribas Asset Management. Private, typically sponsor-backed, companies preparing an exit or a capital raise. And listed companies or IPO candidates, such as OVHcloud, Global Blue, Carmila, Klépierre and Unite Group.
Accellency is a strategic advisory firm dedicated solely to investor relations and capital markets. It advises investment funds, private companies and listed companies at strategic financial moments: to position for a major fundraise, to maximise value at a transaction or to strengthen stock market credibility. Three things set Accellency apart. First, its team brings extensive buy-side and sell-side experience as investors and capital markets specialists, so it assesses an investment case the way LPs, buyers and analysts do. Second, it combines deep sector expertise, in Financial Services, Software & Technology, Healthcare, Energy & Infrastructure, Retail & Consumer, Real Estate, with deep asset class expertise, in Private Equity, Private Credit, Real Estate, Infrastructure, Secondaries, Venture & Growth, Impact and Hedge Funds strategies. Third, Accellency pioneered the use of the equity story for exit readiness and created ESTEX®, its proprietary methodology for it. Accellency works on preparing a transaction, not executing it, which makes it complementary to investment banks, placement agents and management consultancies.
Accellency does not execute transactions; investment banks do. Accellency works with shareholders and management well ahead of a potential transaction, whether a company sale, an IPO or a debt issuance, specifically on the equity story and the positioning of the investment case. It does not compete with banks: it works before them, then alongside them, for example when preparing management for buyer meetings at exit. For listed companies, Accellency works alongside the CEO, CFO and Head of Investor Relations to strengthen the company's credibility with the market, independently of any transaction.
Management consulting firms work on the value creation plan itself, such as EBITDA expansion and top-line growth. Accellency works on the investment case: how that plan is presented to investors and buyers, which KPIs prove it, and how management should communicate it. The two roles are complementary, and Accellency often works alongside strategy consultancies, particularly on the vendor due diligence (VDD) ahead of an exit, so that the VDD and the equity story tell the same story.
No. Accellency does not raise capital, run fundraising processes or speak directly to investors on a fund's behalf. It works mainly with a fund's investment team, before the placement agent or the in-house investor relations team come into play, to identify the fund's strongest positioning, as well as its risks and gaps, ahead of launch. Accellency then produces the marketing materials and prepares the team for LP meetings, while the placement agent runs the process and provides access to LPs. The two roles are complementary.
Accellency has sector expertise across six sectors: Financial Services, Software & Technology, Healthcare, Energy & Infrastructure, Retail & Consumer, Real Estate.
Accellency was founded in 2017 by Goldman Sachs veteran Alexandra Prigent-Labeis, Managing Partner in London. Every Accellency mandate is led by one of its four senior partners. Romain Richemont (Managing Partner, Paris) was Investor Relations Director at Danone and TotalEnergies, is a CFA charterholder and runs the investor relations course at HEC Paris. Nick Webb (Partner, London) was Deputy Head of Research and then global COO of Equities at BNP Paribas Exane, after equity research at Goldman Sachs. Thomas Delanglade (Partner, Paris) spent ten years at UBS and a decade managing a multi-billion portfolio of listed equities and private funds, reviewing over 200 GP strategies.
Accellency is an equal opportunities employer with a gender-balanced, multinational team. It aims to reach net zero by reducing its emissions and offsetting the remainder, and it supports charities working on education and equality, including the Fondation des Femmes.
An equity story converts a company's business strategy into a compelling investment case for potential acquirers and investors, and aligns its management team on what drives enterprise value. It is a financial narrative, anchored in real facts and data, that explains why the business deserves its valuation. It rests on the right comparables, clear differentiation, favourable market dynamics, the benefits clients buy for and the catalysts for long-term growth, and it leads to a few top investment highlights. What makes an equity story credible is evidence: business KPIs such as recurring revenue, client retention or market share, and financial KPIs such as organic growth, margins and cash conversion, all reported consistently. A strong equity story lifts both the sector multiple and the growth multiple investors apply. A weak or outdated one creates a "Zone of Disbelief", a gap between the value a company has created and the value buyers or investors recognise. Equity stories apply to exits, IPOs, capital raises and listed companies, and need repositioning whenever the business or its market changes. Accellency pioneered the use of the equity story for exit readiness, to prepare private companies for exits.
An equity story makes buyers and investors recognise, and pay for, both the value a company has created and the value it will create in the future, using its track record as proof of its growth potential. Valuation does not simply follow performance: investors price what they understand a business to be, based on its sector, comparables and growth potential. When a company has improved but perception has not caught up, a gap opens between its true potential and the value buyers recognise, which Accellency calls the "Zone of Disbelief". Repositioning the equity story closes that gap, but only if it is credible: business and financial KPIs, reporting and management's delivery must prove it, because buyers will test it in due diligence. A credible story reduces perceived risk, aligns management and shareholders, widens the pool of interested buyers and supports price tension.
AI now leads the preliminary analysis of confidential information memorandums (CIMs) and vendor due diligence (VDD) reports. Buyers and investors use it as a sparring partner to summarise the investment case, flag risks and screen opportunities, and that first AI conclusion sets the tone for the rest of the process. Accellency's daily work shows that the conclusion AI reaches depends on whether the documents share a common thread: an equity story that ties every section together, rather than a collection of static facts. The same numbers, framed, ordered or worded differently, can lead AI to different conclusions. Without a controlled, well-implemented equity story, AI reaches whatever conclusion the raw data suggests, sometimes the opposite of the one intended; with one, it reaches the investment case the company has built. In CIMs and VDDs, the same data generates different AI conclusions. AI amplifies the strength of a good equity story, or exposes the weakness of not having one.
Exit readiness is the preparation of a company so that it can be sold at the best price and with execution certainty when the exit window opens. In ESTEX®, the methodology Accellency created after pioneering the equity story as an exit readiness tool, it means a validated equity story, alignment between sponsor and management on what drives enterprise value, consistent KPIs and documents (business plan, vendor due diligence, management presentation) and a management team rehearsed for buyer meetings. Equity-story repositioning is an exit-readiness workstream, not a last-minute communications exercise. It should begin well ahead of a transaction, run alongside existing value-creation work and drive both internal operational change and an external shift in perception.
Investment highlights are the key reasons, typically five to seven, why an investor or buyer should invest in or acquire a company. They are the core pillars of an equity story. They need to be chosen carefully, then echoed consistently in every investor conversation and every document produced. ESTEX®, the methodology created by Accellency, is a systematic way of identifying a company's investment highlights.
A fund's go-to-market strategy defines how a GP positions a fund for LPs ahead of its launch, whether it is a new strategy or a new vintage of an existing flagship strategy. It sets out which differentiators to lead with versus peers, how the fund fits the current macro environment and LPs' asset allocation priorities, which messages each team member uses, and how the fundraising materials support them.
A capital markets day is an event at which a listed company's management presents its strategy, medium-term targets and business units to investors and analysts in more depth than at quarterly results. Done well, it resets how the market perceives the company.
An investor perception study gathers structured feedback from investors and analysts on how they view a company: its strategy, management, communication and valuation. Accellency uses perception studies to identify the gap between how a company sees itself and how the market sees it, and to prioritise investor relations actions.
Thought leadership is content, such as white papers or conviction papers, through which a GP showcases its expertise and point of view and attracts decision-makers across the ecosystem: LPs, investment consultants and portfolio companies. Accellency delivers the strategy, advanced market research (including interviews) and content production support, and writes the content so that it can also be read and cited by AI engines that LPs increasingly use to research managers.
For investment funds, Accellency shapes positioning, from go-to-market strategy to exit readiness for portfolio companies. Accellency works with investment and investor relations teams to provide strategic advisory for new vintages of flagship funds and platform launches, positioning the fund's strategy on key differentiators versus peers, asset allocation, market dynamics and LP priorities. Accellency builds LP-facing material (AGMs, investor days, DDQs, PPMs, thought leadership) and prepares teams with full roadshow preparation: drafting the pitch, script review, delivery coaching and mock LP meetings. This work spans strategy, content and delivery to maximise alignment across marketing materials and pitching. GPs typically engage Accellency ahead of a fundraise, an AGM or a portfolio company exit.
Ideally about six months before pre-marketing starts. This gives Accellency time to build a full go-to-market strategy, refine the fund's positioning and materials, and prepare the team before LP conversations begin.
Accellency has in-house expertise across eight asset classes: Private Equity, Private Credit, Real Estate, Infrastructure, Secondaries, Venture & Growth, Impact and Hedge Funds strategies. Within private credit, for example, Accellency has positioned direct lending, real estate debt, asset-based finance and risk-sharing strategies. Accellency works mainly with established GPs, on flagship fund vintages, new platform launches and adjacent strategy launches.
Accellency helps GPs stand out by defining a small number of differentiators that matter to LPs today, rather than repeating the last vintage's pitch. With just over half of committed capital going to the 100 largest funds in 2024 (Preqin), Accellency focuses on a sharp positioning versus named peers, evidence-based track record messaging, consistent materials and a team that delivers the same story in every LP meeting.
Accellency treats the AGM as an inflection point to boost the GP's profile with existing LPs, trigger a shift in perception and enhance platform value ahead of the next fundraise. Accellency designs AGMs and LP investor days around forward-looking content, genuine dialogue with LPs, time for peer networking and thoroughly prepared speakers, and delivers them end-to-end, from event strategy and slides to scripting and delivery coaching.
Accellency produces and reviews DDQs and PPMs to turn the core documents LPs use to evaluate a fund into tools that build the GP's credibility. Each document reflects current market dynamics, key differentiators and rising LP expectations, rather than a copy-and-paste of the last vintage.
Accellency writes thought leadership that AI engines can read and cite, so that when LPs use those tools to research a GP, the fund is described accurately and favourably. This matters because investment professionals increasingly use AI-generated analysis in their decisions. Accellency also helps clients monitor how AI engines currently describe them.
Accellency runs roadshow preparation in stages: an elevator pitch and core messages for every team member, a model Q&A covering difficult LP questions, script review, LP meeting techniques, individual coaching and mock LP meetings. The aim is that partners, investment professionals, sales teams and IR staff all present the same positioning and metrics with confidence.
Accellency provides portfolio companies with equity story repositioning, exit readiness, operational support, financial marketing, management coaching, and IPO and private placement positioning. Accellency works ahead of an exit to make the company sale-ready, with a management team prepared to present with impact to buyers.
Accellency recommends starting 12 to 18 months before the formal sale process. This lead time allows Accellency to reposition the equity story with its 8-step ESTEX® methodology, align management and shareholders, build the supporting KPIs and coach the team before buyers are in the room.
An Accellency exit readiness mandate typically delivers a validated equity story and top investment highlights; alignment between the sponsor and the executive committee on value drivers; KPIs that evidence the story; consistency across the business plan, vendor due diligence, information memorandum and management presentation; a teaser and talking points; a model Q&A; and coaching of the management team for buyer meetings.
Most exit readiness mandates are commissioned by the private equity sponsor and carried out hand in hand with the management team, because the goal is to align both on one equity story.
Accellency usually works before the M&A adviser and, in most cases, before the vendor due diligence (VDD) strategy consultancy, although sometimes alongside or after them. Before the deal team gets to work, Accellency aligns management and shareholders on the equity story and tests the company's exit readiness. Working this early allows Accellency to carry out a gap analysis, identifying what is missing and the changes required before the company goes to market. Once the M&A adviser and VDD strategy consultancy are appointed, Accellency makes sure the business plan, VDD, information memorandum and management presentation tell the same story, briefing the strategy consultancy so that growth drivers, sector positioning and key definitions reflect the equity story.
No. Accellency also repositions equity stories mid-hold, for example after an acquisition, a change of strategy or a new management team, because a weak or dated equity story leaves a company in a lower-valued bucket than it deserves. As markets shift and higher-valued sectors emerge, repositioning mid-hold keeps the company in the right sector with a credible growth story, and gives it time to build the KPIs and track record that support it well before the exit window.
Accellency works with many of the world's largest investment funds, as well as mid-cap and large private and listed companies, at strategic financial moments such as a major fundraise, an exit or an IPO.
Accellency works with listed companies, including some of the largest, throughout their listing journey, not only at IPO. It provides strategic investor relations advisory, equity stories for listed companies and IPO candidates, capital markets days, investor perception studies, and training and coaching. Beyond the IPO, Accellency supports large listed companies on an ongoing basis, for example around a capital markets day, a strategic change or a period when the share price does not reflect the company's value, to strengthen the equity story and the investor relations programme.
A compelling equity story is an absolute must-have for any listed company: without one, value is destroyed. The equity story is the first defence against activism campaigns. It must showcase the model's differentiating strengths against the macro backdrop. It demands deep insight into how investors decide and insists on transformation potential rather than past performance. And it needs to be amplified through every channel, from earnings releases to analyst reports and earned media.
Accellency runs the equity stream of an IPO alongside the investment banks: defining the investment highlights and financial messaging, refining the analyst presentation and management deep dives, preparing the management team, and continuing as investor relations adviser after listing. Accellency has done this for major IPOs in Europe and the US, including OVHcloud and Global Blue.
Ideally 18 to 24 months before the listing. OVHcloud, for example, mandated Accellency two years before its IPO on Euronext Paris, which allowed the equity story, KPIs and investor relations function to be built before the banks' process started.
Yes. Accellency diagnoses why the market discounts a company, for example unclear growth drivers, a mature-sector label or inconsistent KPIs, and repositions the equity story to address it. Accellency has published research on why mature consumer brands trade at a discount and how to fix it.
Yes. Accellency's strategic investor relations advisory anticipates market reaction and supports companies with fully drafted communications, scripted messaging, model Q&As and investor presentations for results, strategic announcements and transactions.
No. Accellency works alongside the CFO and the in-house investor relations team as a senior sparring partner and extra capacity at key moments.
Yes. Although Accellency is not a media relations agency, Accellency generates the materials for use either by internal communications teams or press relations agencies.
Yes. Accellency plans, designs and executes high-quality capital markets days end-to-end for listed companies, engaging the financial community effectively and boosting interest in their shares. The service covers event strategy, content design and equity story, presentation production, scripting, Q&A preparation, project management and delivery coaching for the speakers.
Yes. No company is immune: an activist campaign can wipe out years of value in days and put the board on trial. Accellency builds multiple lines of defence: a robust equity story, pre-emptive mapping of vulnerabilities, and battle-ready messaging and protocols. When crisis hits, Accellency activates every channel at once, from investors and analysts to media and social media, and its banking, research and buy-side DNA lets it anticipate market reactions before they unfold.
Accellency Academy is the training arm of Accellency. It prepares executives and investment professionals to communicate complex financial and strategic messages with clarity and impact ahead of high-stakes moments such as roadshows, AGMs, capital markets days and exit processes, through keynotes, workshops and individual coaching.
Accellency Academy covers investor pitching, storytelling with numbers, handling difficult Q&A, presence and public speaking, and leadership communication. Sessions combine real-life case studies, behavioural science and practical exercises, and are led by practitioners including certified executive coaches and former capital markets professionals.
Accellency Academy is designed for CEOs, CFOs, executive committees, investor relations teams, and partners and investment professionals at private markets firms. It can be booked as a stand-alone programme or as part of an Accellency advisory mandate.
ESTEX® (Equity Story for Exit Readiness) is the proprietary methodology created by Accellency, which pioneered the use of the equity story as an exit readiness tool. It is an 8-step methodology that converts a company's strategy into an investor-focused equity story ahead of a transaction. The eight steps cover choosing the right analogy, differentiation, market dynamics, client benefits, growth catalysts, business units, the business narrative and, finally, the top investment highlights.
Accellency's go-to-market methodology is a proprietary 8-step approach that turns a fund's key selling points and differentiators into a pitch that triggers LP interest. The approach begins with the analogy, pitching the asset class first and identifying the right comparables. Next comes differentiation, setting the fund's investment thesis and value proposition apart. The third and fourth steps position the fund against macro drivers, the tailwinds and timing that make the strategy compelling today, and LP drivers, the triggers that move allocators. The methodology then articulates GP value creation and aligns the track record and team with the strategy. The final steps build the investment narrative and the pitch and closing techniques that convert LP interest into commitments.
Accellency's work centres on human interaction and critical strategic thinking, and it uses AI to accelerate document production based on its in-house methodologies. In-person services such as coaching are not replaceable by AI. Accellency also helps clients monitor how AI engines perceive their company or fund, and tailors deliverables to strengthen that perception.
An Accellency engagement usually starts with a diagnostic of existing materials and interviews with management, shareholders or investors, followed by workshops to build the story, drafting of the key documents, and coaching before delivery. A partner leads every mandate from start to finish. An equity story or go-to-market mandate typically takes around three months.
Accellency works on highly sensitive situations such as exits, IPOs and fundraisings and treats all client information as strictly confidential, under a non-disclosure agreement where requested. Mandates are referenced publicly only with the client's consent.
You can contact Accellency by email at info@accellency.eu, by phone in London on +44 (0)20 3950 4218 or in Paris on +33 (0)1 72 77 43 71, or through the contact form at accellency.eu/contact-us.
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Accellency attended IPEM Global 2026, held from September 8th to 10th, at the Palais des Congrès de Paris. It was a great opportunity to reconnect with familiar faces and hear how leading private equity practitioners are thinking about exit readiness today. One panel in particular stood out, centered on the theme of equity story & exit […]
…Accellency was honoured to attend the annual Gala dinner of the Fondation des Femmes, a particularly special edition this year marking ten years of action and mobilisation for women’s rights. This fundraising evening was filled with energy and good spirits, bringing together clients, partners and long-time supporters around a cause we deeply believe in. A […]
…The private equity exit market is more selective than it has been in years. Buyers are demanding, financing conditions remain tight and exit windows open and close with little warning. In this environment, the question is no longer simply whether a portfolio company is a good business. The question is whether it is ready to […]
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