News

For a long time, geopolitics remained at a distance from the day-to-day concerns of SME and mid-cap leaders. In 2026, it is now directly shaping operational decision-making. Trade tensions, protectionist policies and the reconfiguration of economic alliances are having very tangible effects on businesses — well beyond large multinational groups. For SME and mid-cap leaders , the challenge is no longer to follow international news, but to understand how these developments can

Tuesday morning, 8:30 a.m. The executive committee is meeting. The sales team reports tender processes dragging on and client decisions repeatedly postponed. The COO flags erratic increases in certain raw materials and supplier lead times that are becoming increasingly difficult to meet. The CFO presents a cash position that is “under control” — but clearly under pressure within three to four months. HR highlights rising absenteeism, the departure of a key manager with no o

When performance deteriorates, time becomes a critical factor In the construction, industrial, retail and cosmetics sectors, business difficulties rarely appear overnight. They tend to build gradually, often concealed by day-to-day operations, operational emergencies or the hope of a spontaneous recovery. Until one day, the warning signs can no longer be ignored: mounting cash pressure, shrinking margins, overstretched teams and decisions that keep being postponed . At this p

When governance becomes an issue, performance is already under strain In many SMEs and mid-sized companies, corporate governance is not viewed as a performance lever, but rather as a secondary concern. Yet it is often where the first vulnerabilities appear. Delayed decisions, unclear trade-offs, latent tensions within the executive committee... When these signals persist, they inevitably begin to affect day-to-day operations. The CEO or managing director then finds themsel

— and how an Interim Manager can secure the transition A growing number of SMEs and mid-cap companies in France are — consciously or not — on the brink of a major turning point: succession. As 2026 approaches, the urgency of this challenge has never been greater, both for businesses themselves and for the wider economy, local ecosystems and employment. Yet many leaders continue to delay. And the more time passes, the greater the risks: loss of know-how, organisational weakeni

When listening to SME and mid-cap leaders at the end of 2025, one observation keeps coming back: commercial performance still relies far too heavily on individual heroics. A senior salesperson who “knows everyone”, a multitasking Sales Director constantly chasing emergencies, improvised field visits, a CRM updated one day… and forgotten the next.   This model, once sufficient, is now collapsing under the pressure of an unpredictable market. Tenders are tightening, sales cycl