Supporting Management Teams Beyond Capital

Supporting Management Teams Beyond Capital

A conversation between AIV Capital and Quantiva

Participants:

Ethan Khatri, Managing Director, AIV Capital

Akshat Biyani, Quantiva

Tia, Moderator

Tia: Ethan, how do you think about supporting management teams beyond capital?

Ethan: At AIV, we have always taken the view that capital on its own is not sufficient. Most of the management teams we back are strong operators, but as businesses scale, the demands around reporting, analytics, and decision-making increase quite quickly.

Supporting management teams, for us, means ensuring they have the bandwidth and the tools to operate at that next level - without overloading the organisation.

Tia: Is that something you expect companies to build internally?

Ethan: Not always. Some capabilities should be built internally over time, but a lot of what is required tends to be intermittent or highly specialised. In those situations, it is not efficient to hire permanently.

Tia: Akshat, where does Quantiva fit into this model?

Akshat: We position ourselves as an extension of the management team. We are not replacing internal functions - we step in where there are gaps, particularly around analytics, finance, and execution-heavy work.

The focus is on integrating into the business in a way that reduces workload rather than creating additional complexity.

Tia: How do you ensure that support does not feel disruptive?

Akshat: It comes down to how we work. We align closely with the team, adopt their processes, and focus on execution. The objective is to provide additional capacity that management teams can rely on, rather than introducing an external layer.

Ethan: From our perspective, that is what has worked well. It feels like added bandwidth, not external oversight.

Tia: Can you walk through a practical example?

Akshat: A good example is a specialised logistics asset we have been supporting. The business was performing well, but there was limited visibility into certain performance drivers, particularly on the cost side.

We supported the development of governance structures and KPI frameworks, which improved reporting consistency and created clearer visibility.

Tia: And what has that led to?

Akshat: It is still evolving, but we are already seeing early improvements in cost efficiency. More importantly, the management team is actively using the outputs, which is usually the best indicator that the work is effective.

Ethan:The adoption by the team is key. It has been viewed as supportive rather than intrusive.

Tia: Where else do you see the most demand for this kind of support?

Akshat: Fundraising is one of the most consistent areas. It is no longer a one-off process - companies are effectively always in the market.

That creates a need for continuous reporting, financial modelling, and investor materials.

Tia: How do you support companies through that?

Akshat: We support the full cycle. That starts with internal reporting — ensuring the board has the right information - and extends to investor-facing outputs such as models, presentations, and KPI narratives.

Ethan:Once internal reporting is structured properly, it becomes much easier to translate that into investor communication.

Tia: Beyond fundraising, where else does Quantiva add value?

Akshat: There are a number of operational areas. Financial close processes, particularly at year-end, can be resource-intensive. We also support governance processes and, in certain sectors, regulatory filings.

In sectors like pharmaceutical services, these requirements can be quite complex, and having dedicated support makes a significant difference.

Tia: How important is scale in delivering this model?

Akshat: It is important. We are currently around 120 people across multiple geographies, which allows us to deploy the right capability quickly depending on the situation.

Ethan: From our perspective, that flexibility is critical. Different businesses require different types of support at different times.

Tia: Does working across multiple companies create additional advantages?

Akshat: Yes. One of the key benefits is cross-sector learning. We see similar challenges across different businesses and can apply insights more broadly.

We are also investing in data and analytics - structuring data, automating workflows, and introducing AI-driven processes where relevant.

Ethan: And that ultimately improves decision-making. Better information leads to better outcomes.

Tia: Stepping back, how would you summarise the value of this approach?

Ethan: It allows management teams to stay focused on running the business, while having access to the support they need around them.

Akshat: And from our side, it is execution-led. We are working alongside teams, not just advising them.

Tia: Final thought?

Ethan: It is about enabling better decisions and faster execution.

Akshat: And doing that without adding unnecessary complexity to the organisation.