Herminius was commissioned to conduct an independent assessment of the industry standing and track record, management style, personality, ethics and integrity of the director of an industrial manufacturing business unit ahead of a carve-out. 

Herminius spoke to over 20 sources, many of whom had polarising opinions on the individual. Some admired him and enjoyed working together, while others found him difficult and arrogant. Closer analysis showed that the former were high performers who were key to translating his vision into results, while the latter tended to be indifferent employees. 

It also became clear that the target individual recognised his tendency for grand vision over operational detail, and knew how to build teams around him to compensate. This said, he was less good at pressure testing his ideas with a wide enough range of stakeholders. Ultimately, the client proceeded with the deal, with a key part of their early strategy being to ensure that the individual was sandwiched between a strong CFO and Chairperson.