GlobalU Business closes the capability gap that remains after the consulting engagement ends — it doesn't replace the consulting relationship. The consulting firm identifies the problem and defines the solution. GlobalU Business embeds the capability that makes the solution stick at the people level. Many consulting firms use GlobalU Business programmes precisely because they want to leave something deployable with the client after their engagement concludes.
One agreement
Framework Agreement
A portfolio framework agreement covers multiple portfolio companies under a single commercial arrangement. Activated when and where the value creation plan requires it. No standing commitment. No annual minimum spend.
Structure
Portfolio framework agreement
Single agreement covering multiple portfolio companies. Activated per value creation plan requirement — not as a standing service.
Pricing
Per-cohort or per-company
Pricing agreed at framework level across the portfolio. Applied per deployment as required. No volume commitment. No retainer.
Minimum commitment
No minimum
Deploy where the value creation plan identifies a gap. No annual minimum spend. No commitment to deploy across the full portfolio.
Deployment
Foundation: same-day access
Self-paced programmes assigned to named participants immediately. Live Capability Programme Sessions scheduled on receipt of payment. No scheduling dependency for Foundation Programmes.
Confidentiality
The commercial arrangement is between GlobalU Business and the fund
The framework agreement and deployment arrangement are not visible to portfolio company teams. Participants see the programme and practitioner credentials - not the fund's commercial arrangement. Bespoke content commissioned for a fund's value creation framework is built exclusively for that fund and not reused externally.
Hold period relevance
Most effective in years 1–3
Post-acquisition businesses in professionalisation phase carry the largest capability gaps and the longest runway for capability investment to compound.
The Engagement Journey
From first call to first portfolio deployment
Four steps. Each has a defined output. The first is one conversation.
One conversation · No commitment
Portfolio fit conversation
We confirm portfolio fit against the three capability gap profile, identify which programmes are most relevant to your current value creation priorities, and outline how the framework agreement would be structured. No commitment on either side.
- Portfolio fit confirmed or ruled out
- Capability gaps mapped to programme types
- Framework structure outlined
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No commitment required
Before the second conversation
Commercial term sheet
A one-page commercial term sheet covering the framework agreement structure, per-cohort pricing with volume tiers applicable to your portfolio size, deployment mechanics, and no-retainer terms. Prepared by GUC before the second conversation so pricing and structure are agreed before any commitment.
- Framework agreement structure
- Per-cohort pricing confirmed
- No volume commitment
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No-retainer terms explicit
On agreement
Framework agreement signed
The framework agreement is countersigned. It covers all portfolio companies under the fund. Individual deployments are activated against this agreement as the value creation plan requires — no separate negotiation per portfolio company.
- Covers all portfolio companies
- Per-deployment activation
- No separate negotiation per company
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Countersignature required
Per value creation plan requirement
First portfolio deployment
Licences purchased for the identified portfolio company cohort. Foundation Programmes accessible same day. Practitioner Programme consultation dates confirmed on payment. Live Capability Programme Sessions scheduled on receipt of payment. Quarterly activity reports provided throughout.
- Foundation: same-day access
- Practitioner: consultation on payment
- Live sessions: scheduled on payment
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Quarterly activity reports
Before You Decide
Questions that typically come up
The framework agreement is between GUC and the fund. Programmes are deployed to named participants at the portfolio company level — participants see the programme and practitioner credentials, not the fund's commercial arrangement. Bespoke content commissioned for a fund's value creation framework is built exclusively for that fund and is not reused or referenced externally.
What if the value creation plan changes and we don't need to deploy across the full portfolio?
The framework agreement establishes the commercial terms — pricing, structure, and deployment mechanics. It does not commit the fund to a defined volume. Licences are purchased when the value creation plan identifies a need at a specific portfolio company. If the plan changes, there is no next order to place. Nothing was committed, so nothing is owed.
The Operating Partner function is lean. Who manages the deployment at portfolio company level?
GUC handles the deployment mechanics — licence assignment, platform access, and participant onboarding. The Operating Partner's role is to identify which portfolio companies and which cohorts need capability. Once that decision is made and payment is received, deployment runs without resource from the Operating Partner function. Foundation Programmes require no scheduling coordination. Practitioner Programmes require only a date confirmation for the monthly consultation.
That framing is correct and is how GlobalU Business presents it — explicitly and intentionally. The programmes were built by practitioners who held the role. The credentials are from those roles, not from GlobalU Business. The Operating Partner presents it exactly that way — programmes built by practitioners who held the role, credentials from those roles. A CFO who ran a post-acquisition finance function at a PE-backed business is more credible to a portfolio company finance director than a GlobalU Business case study would be. The transparency is the quality signal.