Strategy and spirit: Driving research performance to record results

A cornerstone of KBS Corporate’s success is having the most comprehensive access to acquirers in our industry, allowing us to explore every possible avenue in the search for your company’s ideal buyer. Dan Greenfield, our Senior Research Strategy Manager, reflects on another momentous year for his team and the constant drive to deliver ever greater value to our clients.

In this previous article, we explained the perfect mix of technology and human talent that drives forward the Research department at KBS Corporate.

Since then, we have proven further that success does not stem from merely having the right tools or the right people. It comes from how you apply them both – with purpose, clarity and resilience.

Over the past year, the Research team has maintained that philosophy, delivering one of the most successful years in our department’s history.

Purposeful leadership, tangible impact

When I joined KBS Corporate as Senior Research Strategy Manager, I was inspired by the passion of our people and the power of the technology in place. My focus was simple: take what was already working and build on it, while creating an environment where strategy and determination drive results.

From the perspective of our clients, this meant engaging with them directly to design the best possible research strategy to meet their objectives. Every company is unique, and selling a business successfully means truly understanding what kind of buyer will see its value, and why. Together with our clients, we have aligned expectations, mapped the right markets and built bespoke buyer search strategies that give each company its best chance of success.

For the Research team, my role has been about clarity, consistency and belief. Clarity in what success looks like; consistency in applying the tools and processes we have; and the belief that with the right approach and enough determination, we can solve any problem.

Whether supporting the team with the use of our proprietary Buyer Matching Engine, encouraging new ways to leverage data or simply helping individuals find the confidence to take ownership of their work, the focus has always been on making each person – and therefore the whole team – stronger.

Turning technology into results

The past year has also been one of continued evolution in how we utilise technology. The Buyer Matching Engine, centralised research databases and AI-supported processes provide reach and scale that would be impossible manually. But it’s the human element – our researchers interpreting, refining and acting on that information – that turns technology into results.

We have not pursued technology for its own sake. We have focused on how it enables our people to be better: faster in their work, sharper in their judgement and more confident in their approach. Whether exploring new sectors, refining buyer profiles or developing deeper industry relationships, the tech is the foundation, but our people are the builders.

A team that keeps raising the bar

Perhaps what makes me proudest of the past year’s achievements is not a single deal or a particular milestone, it’s the way the team has embraced the challenge. They have taken ownership of their results, collaborated across the business and delivered consistently strong performances.

Part of the success has come from changing the way we think about challenges. Rather than saying “No, because…”, we’ve tried to approach problems with a “Yes, if…” mindset. Yes, we can achieve this if we think creatively. Yes, we can meet that goal if we adapt our strategy. Yes, we can solve that issue if we work together and push ourselves further. That shift in mindset – being solution-focused, not obstacle-focused – has made a tangible difference in how the team approaches their work.

And the success has not been driven by one or two individuals but by a team that shares goals and holds itself to high standards. The culture within Research has become one of accountability, support and continual improvement – and it’s clear to see the positive impact this has had, not only on our results but on our clients’ outcomes too.

Looking forward

Our focus remains on continuous improvement. We will keep enhancing our technology, exploring new markets and refining our processes. But just as importantly, we will continue investing in our people: providing training, mentoring and the opportunity to grow their careers here at KBS.

The Research department’s success story over the past year is just one chapter in the wider growth of the company. With the M&A market showing renewed energy and our operations across KBS Corporate and the wider K3 Capital Group strongly positioned, we are excited for what the future holds.

It has been a record-breaking year – but we see this as still only the beginning of what our team can achieve.