What happens when you step into the CEO seat of a small consultancy in a niche market, with big ambitions, PE backing, and a bold growth target?

In this episode of Climb in Consulting, Nick Synnott chats to Stu Packham, Group CEO of Alchemist, about how he led the business from a modest $2M learning consultancy to a $20M global challenger brand.

Before stepping into consulting, Stu spent years in the world of recruitment – building teams, scaling businesses, and getting under the skin of what makes people tick. It was that deep experience, paired with a well-timed chat with a close friend, that led to him being put forward for the CEO role at Alchemist in 2019.

What followed was nothing short of a whirlwind. Stu stepped into a six-person business without meeting any of the team beforehand, not exactly your textbook onboarding. From that uncertain start came a high-speed journey of transformation: expanding into the US, building out UK operations, and laying the groundwork for a global presence. Stu didn’t just steer the ship, he helped it grow new engines mid-flight.

This episode is a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to lead a PE-backed consultancy through rapid growth. Stu shares:

• How fractional leadership became a secret weapon for scale
• What a People function looks like when growth is the goal
• How to prepare (mentally and practically) for due diligence
• The biggest lessons he’s taking into Alchemist’s next chapter

Whether you’re running a consultancy, thinking about working with private equity, or just love a gritty transformation story, this one’s worth your time.

We hope you enjoy the show!

Learn more about Alchemist: https://thisisalchemist.com 

Connect with Stu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuartpackham/