Technology, Data & AI Advisory
A clear fix on what matters
If you're preparing your business for sale or investment in the next one to three years, your technology and data will either strengthen your position — or quietly undermine it.
Most business owners only find out which it is when a buyer or investor starts asking awkward questions. I help you get ahead of that.
Delivered in real businesses — not promised
What this delivers
Who I help
The technology and data picture a buyer sees and the picture an investor sees are essentially identical. What changes is the conversation we have about it.
Most business owners find out about their technology problems when a buyer's due diligence team is already in the building. By that point, you've lost the ability to fix anything cleanly — and the buyer has every incentive to use what they find against you.
I come in before the process starts. I look at your technology and data with the same eye a buyer's team will use, tell you plainly what they'll find, what it means, and what — if anything — you should do about it.
No jargon. No 200-page reports. Just clear, honest advice from someone who's sat on both sides of this conversation.
Investors — whether VC, angel, or private equity — will look closely at your technology and data as part of their assessment. Not just whether the systems work today, but whether the business is scalable, secure, and operationally sound as it grows.
I help you understand where you stand before those conversations start. What's working, what needs attention, and — just as importantly — where your data and AI potential represents genuine upside that an investor should be excited about.
Arriving at an investment conversation with a clear, honest technology picture gives investors confidence. It also gives you the foresight to fix the things that would otherwise slow down or complicate a funding round.
When you're assessing an acquisition or investment target, technology and data are often the least well-understood part of the picture. Full technical due diligence is expensive, slow, and usually happens late in the process.
I provide an independent, senior-level technology and data assessment that gives you a clear view of what you're looking at — the hygiene factors, the risks, and the genuine value potential — before you've committed significant time or cost to a deeper process.
Think of it as an informed second opinion from someone who has worked at board level across complex, regulated businesses, and who understands what technology means commercially — not just technically.
The review
Every review covers the same two areas — because both matter, and because most businesses have something worth finding in each.
How it works
No obligation, no sales pitch. We talk about where your business is heading and whether now is the right time to take stock. I'll tell you plainly if I don't think I can add value.
Before anything starts, we agree exactly what the review covers, what it doesn't, and what you'll receive at the end. This protects both of us and ensures there are no surprises about what the engagement delivers.
Typically 4–6 days over 4–6 weeks. I work across your teams — from leadership to the people doing the day-to-day work — without disrupting the business. I use AI-assisted data gathering and analysis to keep the process efficient and the cost proportionate.
No surprises. You know what's emerging as I go. Nothing appears in the final output that you haven't already heard about.
A vision statement of what good looks like for your business. A two-page summary of findings — what to do, what to stop, what needs further thought. A high-level action plan you can act on immediately. Written for a business owner, not a technical team.
The engagement doesn't have to end with the report. I can provide ongoing advisory support through the sale or investment process, and make warm introductions to specialists — security, data, legal — if changes need making. You don't have to navigate that market alone.
A note on scope: I take agreeing scope seriously. A clear, written agreement at the start means you know exactly what you're getting, the work stays focused, and the output is genuinely useful. It's an important step — not a formality.
What you walk away with
"No jargon. No 200-page reports. No expensive team of consultants. Just clear, experienced advice — focused entirely on what matters for your deal."James May · Trig Point Advisory
How I work
I use AI throughout the data gathering and analysis process. This isn't a gimmick — it directly reduces the time it takes to complete the review and keeps the cost proportionate to the size of your business. Faster for you. Less disruptive. And it means I can deliver a genuinely senior-level engagement at a price that makes sense for an SME.
Experience
Not advising from the outside — doing it from the inside. That's the difference.
I spent 13 years as a senior technology and data leader in a large, complex, regulated business — culminating as Chief Data Officer, responsible for technology serving over a million clients and supporting more than £200bn in assets under management. Before that, I led technology teams across law firms and professional services businesses. I've also served as a Non-Executive Director, advising a leadership team on connecting technology decisions to commercial outcomes. I started out as a developer and have worked at every level from the engine room to the board. I know what good looks like — and I know what buyers and investors are looking for when they look under the bonnet.
Confidentiality & security
You'll be sharing sensitive information about your business — systems, data, financials, people. I take that seriously. Here's how I handle it.
Get in touch
No commitment required. No obligation. Just a straightforward chat about where you are, where you're heading, and whether I can help.
Tell me a little about your situation and I'll be in touch, usually within one working day.