01 What we do
Northstar Advisory works with mid-market New Zealand companies — typically $20M–$500M revenue, 50–800 staff — on the strategic questions that are too important to answer in a Monday morning meeting.
Market entry, adjacency analysis, acquisition due diligence and three-year plans with quarterly milestones. We build the model, stress-test the assumptions and stay engaged through execution.
Board effectiveness reviews, skills-matrix assessments, chair coaching and succession planning. We work with NZX-listed and large private boards.
Process mapping, cost-structure analysis, lean implementation and KPI frameworks. We identify the 20% of changes that drive 80% of the gain.
Buy-side and sell-side strategic advice — target identification, commercial due diligence, integration planning and Day 1 readiness.
02 Our approach
We interview your leadership team, review financials and visit operations. The output is a scoping document with a confirmed question, timeline and fixed fee. If you decide not to proceed, the discovery is free.
Deep work: market sizing, benchmarking, financial modelling, stakeholder workshops. We present interim findings at the midpoint so we can correct course before the final report.
A written report with three to five prioritised recommendations, each with an investment case, risk assessment and implementation steps. We present to the board if requested.
Monthly check-ins, quarterly progress reviews, and ad-hoc advisory on a retained basis. Most clients retain us for the first twelve months of implementation.
Every engagement is fixed-fee, agreed before we start. Our typical range:
All fees are plus GST. Travel outside Wellington is at cost.
03 Case studies
Client names used with permission. Outcomes are fact-specific.
Growth strategy
Assessed three entry modes (greenfield, JV, acquisition) and recommended a bolt-on acquisition in Melbourne. Supported due diligence and Day 1 integration. The Australian operation broke even in month fourteen.
Break-even in 14 months · $38M acquisition
Board governance
Skills-matrix assessment revealed a gap in digital and export experience. Recruited two independent directors, restructured committee charters and coached the chair through a contested AGM. Board satisfaction scores rose from 3.1 to 4.4 out of 5.
Board satisfaction: 3.1 → 4.4
Operational efficiency
Mapped 14 end-to-end processes and identified $2.1M in annual savings through procurement consolidation, scheduling software and a revised subcontractor framework. Implementation cost: $380K. Payback in under eight months.
$2.1M annual savings · 8-month payback
04 Team
Everyone you meet in the discovery meeting is the same person who does the analysis, writes the report and presents to your board. We do not delegate to junior staff.
Managing Partner · Growth & M&A
MBA (INSEAD), BCom (Victoria). Former McKinsey engagement manager. Founded Northstar in 2011 after fifteen years in strategy consulting in Auckland, Sydney and Singapore.
Partner · Board Governance
LLB/BA (Canterbury). Director of three NZX-listed boards. Former General Counsel at a Crown entity. Specialises in governance frameworks, director recruitment and stakeholder relations.
Partner · Operational Efficiency
BE (Hons) Mechanical (Auckland). Eighteen years in manufacturing operations at Fisher & Paykel and Mainfreight before consulting. Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt.
Partner · Growth Strategy
MSc Economics (LSE), BA (Otago). Former BCG consultant specialising in market-entry strategy for Australasian firms. Joined Northstar in 2016.
05 What we believe
Strategy is a decision about what not to do. If the plan does not require saying no to something, it is not a strategy.
Boards should govern, not manage. The best board we ever worked with asked three questions per meeting and made one decision.
Efficiency without purpose is cost-cutting. We only pursue operational gains that fund a strategic priority the company has already chosen.
Fixed fees eliminate the incentive to over-scope. We quote before we start and absorb overruns ourselves.
Mid-market companies deserve the same quality of advice as large corporates, without the overhead of a global firm.
06 Find your engagement
Answer three questions. We will suggest the engagement that best matches your situation.
Question 1 of 3
What is your primary challenge right now?
Question 2 of 3
How urgently do you need to act?
Question 3 of 3
What is your company's approximate revenue?
07 Contact
The discovery meeting is free and takes about ninety minutes. We will send a scoping document within five working days. If you choose not to proceed, there is no charge.
Monday–Friday, 8:30am–5:30pm
By appointment only