The current operating model had been in place for 5 years and during this time significant growth has taken place, particularly in terms of the acquisition and management of new banking entities. These entities varied significantly in function and size, and were geographically spread.

The original Group structure had evolved over time to its current form. As with most successful growing companies, it had reached a transition phase as the day-to-day management of the existing business required more and more time as the portfolio increased. At the same time, the demands of achieving future desired growth of key personnel was increasing. These and other tensions, including the resignation of a key executive and the need to free up the CEO’s time for higher-level duties, provided the catalyst for change.

In growing organisations there comes a time when there is a need for more formal systems and role clarity. The Board and management had recognised the need for an appropriate yet flexible organisational and functional structure. The team had already done some work on this.

The aim of the project is to assist the Company Board and Company management in developing both the Group’s organisational structure and the road map that sets out the change process.

A very powerful methodology for describing the current state of any organisation is the 7S model. This, in combination with the principles of organisation design based on Stratified Systems/Levels theory, provides the framework for our approach.

Levels theory focuses on the ‘work’ carried out at each level of the organisation, the reporting relationship between individuals and the clarity of the roles and responsibilities necessary to achieve an efficient organisation.

Our approach used this framework to provide a structured analysis and an understanding of the organisational issues and tension points that face Company in its way forward. Our approach included the following activities:

• Collection and review existing of information.
• Interviews with key Company personnel and with key Board members.
• A series of three workshops/information sessions with key personnel to ensure management buy in and commitment to the new structure.
• Informal feedback to the Board and Managing Director during the study.

The end products were part intangible and part tangible. The intangible part included a common language and shared understanding of the benefits of the organisational alignment, and the key roles and responsibilities critical to delivery of the strategy. This was achieved through the process of interviews and workshops.

The tangible part included an organisational structure endorsed by management, clarification of roles and responsibilities within the top two layers of the structure, together with a road map detailing the change process.