25+ years of experience driving value creation across business services, media, technology, and telecommunications. From due diligence through post-merger integration to operating model design, we help investors and portfolio companies capture their full potential.
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Founder & Managing Director
A seasoned business executive with 25+ years of experience in private equity advisory, specialising in business services, media, information services, technology, and telecommunications. Jay helps PE sponsors and portfolio companies grow organically and inorganically through clear strategies and market-back insight.
He transforms operating models and deploys advanced analytics and GenAI to serve customers better. His approach combines rigorous strategic analysis with practical implementation experience across ~50 post-merger integrations and 100+ due diligences.
Jay is a recognized thought leader on digital transformation and AI adoption in private equity and business, information, professional, telecommunications and technology services, with publications in Harvard Business Review, McKinsey Quarterly, and Institutional Investor.
Services
Commercial due diligence identifies investment risks and value creation opportunities before closing. Assessments examine market dynamics, competitive positioning, customer concentration, and growth sustainability. Observatory Circle has completed 100+ due diligences for PE sponsors across TMT and business services sectors.
Post-merger integration captures deal value through systematic execution from Day 1 through synergy realization. Observatory Circle's methodology draws on ~50 completed integrations delivering €250M+ in documented synergies. The approach covers integration management office setup, synergy tracking, cultural alignment, and operational harmonization.
Value creation planning translates investment theses into executable operational roadmaps. Observatory Circle develops 100-day plans and multi-year transformation programs for portfolio companies. Plans address revenue acceleration, margin improvement, and strategic repositioning.
Operating model design transforms how portfolio companies organize, operate, and deliver value. Observatory Circle addresses organization structure, process optimization, capability building, and technology enablement. Experience spans 6 continents with proven approaches to global operating model harmonization.
Strategy design grounds competitive positioning in market reality and customer insight. Observatory Circle develops market-back strategies covering sector landscaping, customer segmentation, and competitive differentiation. The approach builds on 25+ years of TMT sector expertise.
GenAI transformation deploys artificial intelligence to accelerate business outcomes beyond incremental improvement. Observatory Circle's 5 forces framework covers Augment, Automate, Eliminate, Re-orchestrate, and Reimagine. The approach improves customer experience, operational efficiency, and decision quality.
Insights
Perspectives on private equity, GenAI, and professional services
June 24, 2025
Moving services professionals from doers to builders. A framework for skills in the GenAI era.
May 7, 2025
The 5 forces of GenAI transformation: Augment, Automate, Eliminate, Re-orchestrate, Reimagine.
April 24, 2025
Like Mary Shelley's Victor Frankenstein, we have created capabilities that expand human power.
Publications
Research on digital strategy and private equity value creation
Harvard Business Review
With Tanguy Catlin and Paul Willmott · October 2015
McKinsey Quarterly
With Tanguy Catlin and Paul Willmott · June 2015
McKinsey Quarterly
With Angus Dawson and Martin Hirt · March 2016
Accenture
2023
Institutional Investor
2023
Substack
jayscanlan.substack.com
For ongoing perspectives on private equity, tech, media, telecom and business services:
Read on SubstackContact
Whether you're evaluating a potential acquisition, planning a post-merger integration, or developing a value creation strategy, I'd welcome the opportunity to explore how Observatory Circle Advisors can support your objectives.