Software Strategy Consulting Services

EY-Parthenon software strategy consulting is the trusted advisor to companies and investors seeking guidance on growth, operational and product/technology performance and M&A related to the software economy. Software-driven and software-enabled companies and investors look to us for guidance on how to drive value across commercial, product, technology and R&D strategy.

Related topics

Strategy by EY-Parthenon

Mergers and acquisitions

Transactions and Corporate Finance by EY-Parthenon

Strategy and Transactions

The team

Photographic portrait of Joongshik Wang

EY-Parthenon Asean and Singapore Strategy and Execution Leader; EY Asean Technology, Media & Entertainment and Telecommunications Leader

Photographic portrait of Sriram Changali

Sriram Changali

EY-Parthenon Asean and Singapore Industrials Leader

Photographic portrait of Olivier Gergele

Olivier Gergele

EY-Parthenon Asean and Singapore Consumer Products & Retail Leader

Making the right decisions about software strategy and investments has never been more important. Many companies, both technology-native and historically non-technology, are now part of the software economy, where most or all of a company’s differentiation and value proposition are driven by software.

EY-Parthenon Software Strategy Group (SSG) is a specialized advisory practice serving:

Investors, including private equity firms
Publicly listed software companies and software-enabled services businesses
Non-tech companies that are transforming into software companies

We work with nine of the 10 largest private equity funds by assets under management, as well as Fortune 500 businesses, consulting on topics ranging from strategy to diligence and execution.

We help companies and investors solve their toughest challenges, including identifying investment opportunities and assessing risks across commercial, product, technology and R&D lenses through due diligence and value creation services. From developing growth strategies to executing major technology changes and improving R&D organizational effectiveness, SSG provides services that help companies to expand market share and enhance their bottom line.

Context

The CEO of a software company was frustrated over a lack of insight into his R&D organization, calling it an impenetrable “black box.” The company had a large product portfolio but lacked go-to-market know-how, a strategic product roadmap and a way to measure R&D.

How EY-Parthenon teams helped

Leveraging its extensive software CTO and chief product officer experience, our teams, developed a methodology to measure R&D performance from initial roadmap planning through to post-release customer support.

The team also designed a model for product governance and portfolio structuring that could be used for business planning, organizational design and go-to-market activities.

Outcome

The CEO and Board of Directors gained a better understanding of how to measure the performance of the company’s R&D organization and other functions.

The company reorganized its business units, empowering teams to make faster decisions.

How we help solve your biggest challenges

How we help solve your biggest challenges

Our market-leading software M&A diligence engagements include providing guidance on competitive and market trends, market size and growth, product capabilities, go-forward product roadmap, underlying technical architecture, and software R&D organization. We enable our clients to understand a software company’s ability to execute against its corporate strategy while also identifying opportunities and risks. We work with clients to answer the following questions:

Technology assessment: is the software company’s product portfolio, as well as the R&D team, built to support our client’s investment thesis (e.g., market share growth, new market entry, changing market dynamics, future M&A)?
Product ecosystem: how does the company’s product capabilities and technology compare to those of competitors? How is the space evolving, and how are customers and vendors responding to this? What is the company’s key value proposition?
Commercial assessment: what is the software company’s total addressable market and serviceable market? How is the serviceable market segmented? How do customers in this market perceive the product capabilities of the various players in this market? How do users decide to purchase a solution?
Many senior leaders of software companies choose us to help solve their biggest challenges, including identifying how to make their organizations more effective and how to uncover opportunities for future expansion and growth. Our value creation engagements often focus on growth strategy, product and technology roadmap strategy, software R&D organization enhancement, and building a go-forward product portfolio and organizational approach after a client has undertaken a major acquisition or merger.

Recent client challenges that we’ve answered

Drone delivery company: Can they grow at forecasted rates via expansion opportunities (e.g., new use cases, new geographies, innovation)?
Video streaming company: How does the company’s market strategy adapt to the needs of current and potential new customers?
Air travel mainframe software developer: How should the company prioritize product development initiatives to support the needs of both existing and prospective new customers?
Agriculture IoT company: Is the underlying technology capable of serving other markets outside the current core agriculture use case?

Why EY-Parthenon?

Why have hundreds of Global 2000 companies and top private equity firms chosen SSG to help guide their decision-making? The answer is simple. SSG brings real-world, CTO-level experience, as well as deep exposure to hundreds of software companies, enabling us to drive value and create a better future for hundreds of companies across the globe.

The team

Joongshik Wang

EY-Parthenon Asean and Singapore Strategy and Execution Leader; EY Asean Technology, Media & Entertainment and Telecommunications Leader

Leader in strategic transformations focused on value-creation, pivoting business models and capital reallocation. Mentor. Tech innovation advocate and practitioner.

Singapore, Singapore

Sriram Changali

EY-Parthenon Asean and Singapore Industrials Leader

Passionate about value creation and performance improvement. Experienced in international management consulting.

Singapore, Singapore

Olivier Gergele

EY-Parthenon Asean and Singapore Consumer Products & Retail Leader

20+ years of consulting, consumer and retail industry experience. Deep knowledge of developed and developing markets. Lived and worked in Asia, Europe and South America. Warwick MBA. Husband. Father.

Singapore, Singapore

Abhay Bangi

EY-Parthenon Asean and Singapore Life Sciences and Health Care Leader

Health care strategist. Trusted advisor to business leaders. Technology enthusiast. Creative problem solver. Nature lover and avid sports buff.

Singapore, Singapore

Du Vinh Tran

Senior Partner, EY Consulting Vietnam Joint Stock Company; EY-Parthenon Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia Strategy and Transactions Leader

Over 20 years of professional experience. Deep knowledge in corporate strategy, restructuring, business turn-around, valuation and business modeling, and M&A.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Huong Thien Dao

EY-Parthenon Senior Partner, Strategy and Execution, EY Consulting Vietnam Joint Stock Company

Strategy and Transformation Leader. Focused on building platforms for sustainable growth.

Anh The Bui

EY-Parthenon Director, Strategy and Execution, EY Consulting Vietnam Joint Stock Company

Possess a wide range of expertise in corporate strategy, management structure, finance and accounting, internal control, investment and M&A.

Bac Phuong Dao

EY-Parthenon Director, Strategy and Execution, EY Consulting Vietnam Joint Stock Company

Experienced and knowledgeable consultant in corporate management and project management for multiple sectors.

Phong Cam Trinh

EY-Parthenon Senior Manager, Strategy and Execution, EY Consulting Vietnam Joint Stock Company

Experienced professional in consumer product, distribution, retail, and supply chain sectors

Our latest thinking

How strategic use of an AI maturity model can maximize GenAI ROI

Explore the realm of Generative AI use cases.

Holger Fehlbier

How a top-down holistic strategy can maximize GenAI ROI

Explore how companies that put strategy first by applying a holistic Generative AI maturity model for AI adoption will be positioned to unlock greater ROI.

Behnaz Saboonchi

Five generative AI initiatives leaders should pursue now

Learn how to move beyond quick efficiency gains to a cohesive AI strategy that maximizes your growth potential in a fast-changing space.

Dan Diasio + 1

Top 10 opportunities for technology companies in 2023

In a volatile business environment, will the bold be rewarded? Now is the time to invest and test the waters with new business models. Read more.

Ken Englund + 3

The Unstoppables: Success stories of the world’s most inspiring entrepreneurs

The latest EY entrepreneurship documentary, “The Unstoppables 3,” features inspiring professional and personal entrepreneur success stories. Read more.

Stasia Mitchell

How will the metaverse change our behavior as it reshapes experiences?

The potential impacts of the metaverse on human behavior are yet unknown, but behavioral economics can help us explore the possibilities. Find out more.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

EY-Parthenon is a brand under which a number of EY member firms across the globe provide strategy consulting services.