Boards in climate tech and energy transition often have strong technical and financial oversight but limited experience of building a revenue function. I offer a non-executive commercial voice that asks the questions showing whether the commercial model will hold at scale.
The questions that do not always get asked until it is too late -- whether the pipeline is real, whether the pricing will hold, whether the commercial model is built to scale.
Whether the pipeline is qualified, whether the conversion assumptions are grounded, and whether the forecast the board is working from reflects what the commercial team can actually deliver.
Whether the pricing holds as the business scales, whether the commercial model is built for the customer and market you are selling into, and where the pressure points are likely to appear.
A sounding board for management on the commercial case behind partnership and enterprise decisions, particularly where the deal structure or the customer relationship is complex.
Challenge and support on the commercial assumptions underpinning a raise -- whether the revenue narrative holds, and whether the growth model can be defended to a sophisticated investor.
The right starting point is a conversation with the chair or lead investor. From there, the arrangement is agreed with the board directly.
An initial conversation with the chair or lead investor to understand the stage of the business, the composition of the board, and whether an independent commercial voice would add something that is not already there.
The terms of the arrangement are agreed with the board. This could be a formal non-executive appointment or a structured advisory arrangement, depending on what the board needs and what is appropriate for the business.
Attendance at board meetings and a regular commercial review to track how the revenue function is developing against the plan the board has approved. The cadence and format are agreed as part of the arrangement.
Non-executive and advisory arrangements are structured and priced individually. The fee is agreed with the board as part of the appointment discussion.
Non-executive and advisory fees vary with the stage of the business, the nature of the arrangement, and what the board is asking for. The first conversation covers all of that before any fee is discussed.
Day-to-day commercial delivery, which is the fractional offer. And legal or governance advice -- those require different qualifications and a different kind of appointment. The non-executive role is commercial challenge and support, not executive responsibility.
The businesses where an independent commercial voice at board level makes the most difference tend to share a few characteristics.
The right way to explore a non-executive or advisory arrangement is a direct conversation. If the fit is there, the terms are straightforward to agree. If it is not, that will be clear quickly and no one's time is wasted.