Is your compensation strategy working as hard as your executives?
Your compensation program is more than an expense – it’s a strategic investment that drives growth, retains top talent, and aligns leadership with the company’s vision – but only if it’s designed right and protects your bottom line. Each element of your executive compensation package should work together to support your business strategy and ownership philosophy.
High-Performing Compensation Programs Are:
- Competitive – Bespoke benchmarking helps you compete effectively for key talent without compromising financial discipline.
- Strategic – Every dollar spent drives business results and reinforces company culture.
- Sustainable – Comprehensive modeling ensures affordability today and tomorrow.
- Aligned – Leadership interests match stakeholder interests through thoughtful LTIP design.
The Chartwell Advantage
We give you the business intelligence you need to make confident compensation decisions that support your strategic goals. Our consulting team delivers solutions that are best-fit for your organization and grounded in market intelligence. Chartwell has deep executive compensation experience working with middle-market companies across all industries and business stages. Boards of directors, management teams, trustees, and legal counsel seek our financial advisory expertise in important compensation situations.
We Partner With Companies Who:
- Have privately held ownership – ESOPs, direct management-owned, family-owned and other closely-held companies
- Have complex operational and talent markets where attracting and retaining executives is a key differentiator
- Have meaningful management depth where compensation structures materially impact business performance
- Have compensation programs they are outgrowing or lacking a formal incentive framework tied to value creation
- Are at or approaching an inflection point of growth, leadership transition, acquisition activity or preparing for a liquidity event where compensation alignment is critical
How Do You Know When You Need Us?
Every leadership team or board should be able to answer these critical compensation questions about:
- Competitiveness
Are we losing talent to competitors offering packages that provide a better upside?
Is our pay competitive for the roles that matter most?
Are we optimizing our compensation spend where it’s valued most? - Ownership & Retention
Do future leaders have a clear, achievable path to generating wealth based on long-term success?
Will current LTIP grants allow leaders to hit ownership targets?
Do current owners have a viable off-ramp to sustainably transition the business over time? - Strategic Alignment
Do key metrics drive the right financial results AND cultural behaviors?
Can each leader actually influence their assigned metrics?
Does our compensation program support our business strategy? - Affordability & Funding
Can we afford all compensation costs (base, bonus, LTIP) and all claims on equity?
Will we have capital left to invest in growth?
Uncertain About These Answers?
We can help! Clients who look to Chartwell for their executive compensation consulting needs find peace of mind with:
- Clarity – Understanding exactly how your compensation dollars are working.
- Confidence – Making decisions backed by sophisticated analysis and market intelligence.
- Control – Designing programs that support your unique business and ownership philosophy.
- Competitive Edge – Clear compensation package positioning for critical roles that drive results.
Executive Compensation
Comprehensive Services
Design
• Market benchmarking and competitive analysis
• Bonus and long-term incentive plan (LTIP) design
Philosophy
• Compensation and ownership philosophy alignment
• Financial modeling, costing, and stress-testing
Advisory
• Ownership transition and succession pathway planning
• Compensation advisory in M&A transactions and special situations
Consulting Client Experience
Testimonials
Client Spotlight
—KEITH BENNETT,
CFO & DIRECTOR,
EMERY SAPP & SONS, INC.
“As a maturing 100% ESOP company, we first used Chartwell to review our executive compensation plans to help get our plans realigned with our company goals. We were so impressed with their work that we asked them to also assess our ESOP sustainability. We always thought of ourselves as a forward- thinking organization, but Chartwell’s study opened up our eyes to different alternatives. We followed that up with a capital structure modeling review.
Chartwell most impressed me with (1) their knowledge of the subject matter and of the ESOP industry, (2) the facts they brought to the study to help form and back up their suggestions, and (3) their ability to listen to our needs and help fashion their recommendations to fit them best. The Chartwell team are now our 'go to' consultants.”
From the Experts
“My highest satisfaction comes when clients say that our work structuring their executive compensation program helped them achieve their goals. The “how” (pay levels, incentive structures) is pretty easy. The “why” is the challenge and the reward.”
Matt Keene, Managing Director
“I enjoy working with companies to articulate their unique compensation philosophies and using my background in financial analysis and optimization to help companies get the most out of their executive incentive programs.”
Ashleigh Newlin, Managing Director
“I'm drawn to the strategy behind executive compensation - when an incentive plan moves from concept to a real driver of business outcomes. Chartwell's approach to incentive design is grounded in financial reality, giving clients the insight to understand the true impact of these decisions on their company.”
Rachel Simon, Director
“I'm proud to be part of a team that is so admired and trusted for our results-oriented advice and support. We develop long-term partnerships with a wide array of interconnected financial and strategic matters that our clients and their stakeholders contend with every day.”
Matt Martin, Vice President