Private Equity (PE) portfolio companies operate under intense pressure: With tight investment windows, ambitious growth plans and constant pressure to deliver returns, every decision has to move the dial quickly. Technology is a big part of that, which is why we’re seeing more and more portfolio companies standardising around Microsoft Dynamics 365.
It makes sense. D365 gives you a flexible, cloud-based ERP platform that can be rolled out at pace, particularly useful in carve-outs, acquisitions or scaling businesses that have outgrown legacy systems. You get better visibility, cleaner reporting, and a more joined-up view across the organisation. All things that matter when EBITDA, performance tracking and exit readiness are front of mind.
But here’s the bit that often gets overlooked.
The platform alone isn’t what drives value.
It’s what you do with it and more importantly, who you bring in to deliver it.
On paper, D365 ticks every box. Modular, scalable, and built for businesses that need to move quickly. It standardises processes, supports multi-entity structures, and gives leadership teams access to real-time data that actually informs decisions.
But in practice, we’ve seen plenty of implementations stall.
Not because the technology isn’t right, but because the experience around the programme isn’t there. Internal teams are stretched, priorities shift, and suddenly what should have been a 9–12 month transformation drifts well beyond that.
In a PE environment, that delay isn’t just frustrating, it’s costly.
This is where interim leadership comes into its own.
Bringing in an experienced D365 Programme Director or Transformation Lead gives you something permanent hires often can’t, immediate impact. These are people who have delivered multiple ERP transformations, often in similar PE-backed environments, and they know exactly where the risks sit.
They don’t need bedding in time. They don’t need to learn on the job.
They come in with a clear view of what good looks like and get on with delivering it.
From day one, they’re focused on aligning the ERP programme with the wider value creation plan. That means tighter control of timelines, better stakeholder management, and fewer surprises along the way.
One of the biggest gaps we see in ERP programmes is the disconnect between strategy and execution.
The PE sponsor sets the direction, improve reporting, streamline operations, support growth. But turning that into something tangible across finance, operations and leadership teams is where things can become complex.
Interim professionals sit right in that gap.
They translate strategy into delivery. They embed consistent processes, clean up data, and ensure reporting actually reflects what’s happening in the business. Just as importantly, they bring the confidence to challenge legacy ways of working, something internal teams don’t always have the capacity or authority to do.
That independence is often what keeps programmes moving.
There’s also a practical advantage that’s hard to ignore.
Interim D365 specialists have seen the pitfalls before. They recognise patterns early, whether it’s scope creep, stakeholder resistance or data issues, and they know how to deal with them before they become problems.
That repeatable experience reduces risk, shortens delivery timelines and ultimately protects value.
In a PE setting, where every month counts, that’s a significant advantage.
D365 is a powerful platform, there’s no doubt about it. It gives businesses the infrastructure they need to scale, improve visibility and operate more effectively.
But it’s not the platform that delivers the outcome on its own.
It’s the people leading the transformation.
Get that combination right, strong technology supported by experienced interim leadership, and you give your business the best possible chance of delivering real, measurable value within the investment window.
At Broster Buchanan, we work closely with Private Equity-backed businesses to deliver high-impact interim talent across ERP and transformation programmes.
Whether you need a D365 Programme Director, Transformation Lead or specialist functional support, we can introduce proven interim professionals who have delivered in environments just like yours.
If you’re about to start a D365 implementation, or need to get an existing programme back on track, it’s worth having a conversation early. The right interim hire at the right time can save months of delay and protect significant value.
