Beyond Planning.
Doing.

A senior executive's capability, embedded in your business.

Most businesses don't struggle with strategy. They struggle with execution. We work alongside owners building the next phase of their business: strategy into action, operating systems, AI integration, innovation pipelines and the foundations growth depends on. The hours, the expertise and the discipline of a senior executive, without the full-time overhead.

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Is this your reality?

You know what to do.
You can't find the time to do it.

Daily firefighting

Operations consume every hour. Strategy slides into Friday afternoon and stalls.

Strategy without rhythm

The quarterly plan gets written. The weekly rhythm to execute it doesn't exist.

Gap in the bench

You need executive weight but can't justify a full-time hire at this stage.

Chaotic scaling

Growth has outrun the operating system. Structure is starting to creak.

How it works

Embedded. Senior. Steady cadence.

We work as an extension of your leadership team. Not a deck drop. Not a workshop followed by silence. Work gets done because we're in the rhythm with you.

Embedded, not advisory

We work inside your team. We carry outcomes. We attend the right meetings and skip the rest.

Strategy into weekly rhythm

The quarterly plan gets translated into projects, owners and a cadence that holds. Nothing sits on a shelf.

Minimal meeting overhead

Regular touchpoints to maintain momentum. No status calls that don't earn their place.

Scoped in the proposal

Frequency, duration and commercial terms are agreed up front, based on what the work actually needs.

Scope

What we actually do in the role.

  • Translate strategy into projects

    Break the strategic plan into measurable projects with clear KPIs, owners and delivery timelines. Run the cadence that keeps them moving.

    rocket_launch

  • Build operating frameworks

    Design the operating model that matches where the business is going. Market analysis, capability assessments and process mapping to find what's holding growth back and build the structure to support it.

    architecture

  • Support the leadership team

    Mentor direct reports through operations, supply chain and team leadership. Carry executive weight while your people grow.

    psychology

  • Hold accountability without bureaucracy

    Lightweight scorecards. Short meetings. Structured ownership. The plan actually moves.

    fact_check

  • Bring AI into the operating rhythm

    Identify where AI earns its keep in your business. Run the pilot. Embed the winners into how the team already works. No hype, no showpieces.

    smart_toy
Is this a fit

Who the work suits.

The work sits best with growing businesses where the owner or CEO needs executive bandwidth. You have a direction. The rhythm to execute it is missing.

What we bring is a steady presence, real operational experience and the focus to turn strategy into a weekly operating rhythm. We take on a small number of clients at any time so the work stays personal.

Where we work

Industry-agnostic in practice.

We have worked across manufacturing, construction, building, technology, earthmoving, rubber and polymer. The frameworks travel. The underlying problems are the same: strategy execution, operating rhythm, leadership team support, growth foundations. If your situation needs the work, we will talk. We are not limited to the sectors we have already been in.

Who you would work with

A partnership, not a single operator.

Michael and Matthew each carry their own client base. Together we bring a wider operating bench: different sectors, different angles on the same kind of work, both regional and global reach.

Based in Adelaide · works globally

Michael Clayton

Founder

Twenty-five years in manufacturing leadership through technical and executive roles. Built teams that perform under pressure. Optimised global operations. Delivered sustained growth while running the day to day.

Currently in fractional roles across manufacturing, construction, building, technology and rubber. Works face to face across Australia and virtually with clients globally, including a current US engagement.

Read Michael's full bioarrow_forward

Based in Lincoln · works globally

Dr Matthew Thornton

Founder

Twenty years in advanced materials. Director and C-suite roles in polymer and materials science businesses. Carries his own UK and European client base.

Specialises in innovation strategy, R&D portfolio decisions, investor readiness and commercialisation. Works face to face across the UK and Europe and virtually with clients globally.

Read Matthew's full bioarrow_forward
Client voices

What clients say.

Michael's methodical approach identified practical improvement opportunities and delivered high-quality outputs we could immediately embed into our organisation.
Paul Davison Managing Director, Davison Contractors
Matthew's pragmatic approach to innovation. He never pursued novelty for its own sake. He kept our efforts grounded in solving real problems and consistently bridged the gap between vision and execution.
Neil Taylor Business Development Director, Clean Bus Solution
Matthew's strategic vision ensured research efforts remained commercially focused. His focus on intellectual property creation consistently transformed innovative concepts into tangible commercial outcomes.
Roy van den Oudenhoven Board Member, Circular and Regenerative Economy
Common questions

Fractional FAQ.

How does an engagement work?

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Every engagement is different. Some clients bring us in for a sustained implementation partnership. Others bring us in for a single uplift on a specific problem or capability. We talk first, scope the work, then agree the shape, the cadence and the cost. The engagement fits the brief, not the other way around.

What does a fractional engagement cost?

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Cost is scoped to the work. We agree a fixed commercial structure at the proposal stage so the cost is predictable for the engagement. Monthly retainer, project fee or daily rate depending on what fits.

How long before something changes?

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Depends on what we are working on. A targeted operating-rhythm fix can shift inside the first month. A team capability rebuild or strategy execution programme runs longer. We agree the milestones before we start so you know what to expect.

Can I speak to a past client?

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Yes. After the initial call, if you want a reference call, we will arrange one.

Do you only work with rubber industry businesses?

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No. We have worked across manufacturing, construction, building, technology, earthmoving, rubber and polymer. The work is industry-agnostic in practice. We are not limited to the sectors we have already been in.

Tell us what you're working on.

Send a note on what you're facing. We'll come back to you with a useful response.

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