Start with Odinnu and managing directors to restore discipline, structure, and execution inside underperforming businesses — so they can perform when pressure is highest.

We Support Leaders By Making
the Business Less Dependent On Them.

Odinnu was built for businesses that have ambition but find it difficult to manage with time, where growth has led to friction instead of freedom for the people in charge.

ABOUT US

The Reality Block — Why Businesses Stall Under Pressure

The word “ODINNU” is derived from the term “ODIN” – the Norse god of wisdom, foresight, and decisive leadership. He wasn’t a symbol of chaos or bravado. He was known for wisdom, knowledge, control and foresight. In that regard, Odinnu is the same. Founded in 2023, we are an operating partner who typically works with Managing Directors of UK SMEs with £2.5M to £25M. turnover to stabilise their performance and restore execution discipline.

Our priorities are to remove the MDs from the default point of failure, restore clarity across the Commercial and Finance functions and develop the internal leadership team. This creates a window for the MD to focus just on strategy and growth. We  also work with existing M&A and corporate finance teams to protect value before the due diligence. All this helps us to strengthen your business to make it look more credible to clients/customers.

Our Philosophy

Do more with less — before doing more with more.

The end result is a business that outperforms competitors in the market.

WE’VE LIVED THE REALITY

The Operating Core – Duo of Experienced Operators

Richard and Martyn previously worked together for over four years inside a family-run SME, dealing directly with the realities of owner-managed businesses — where decisions concentrate at the top, structure is informal, and execution pressure is constant.

Then we followed separate paths through multinational corporates, as did Martyn, operating in environments where accountability, reporting, governance, and performance discipline are non-negotiable.

We have sat in the MD seat within an SME and completely understand the isolation and weight of this role.

Richard Taberner

Commercial

Board-level commercial operator in the sales and marketing sector. He has led, restructured, and scaled sales teams in owner-managed and private-equity-backed businesses for over 20 years.
He has worked widely across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East in international export sales and marketing. He is known for being honest, setting clear standards, and being responsible for results.
His goal is to improve revenue, restore control to sales activity, and unlock international growth.

Martyn Bond

Financial

Board-level finance professional with over 20 years of experience working closely with stakeholders across SMEs, large corporates, and private equity–backed businesses.
Successfully led an SME manufacturing business through a structured sales process to a €1bn industry player.
He is known for making cash flow clearly visible, improving financial controls, and developing reliable metrics that stand up to scrutiny and support leaders to make confident decisions at the board level.

Richard Taberner

Commercial

Board-level commercial operator in the sales and marketing sector. He has led, restructured, and scaled sales teams in owner-managed and private-equity-backed businesses for over 20 years.
He has worked widely across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East in international export sales and marketing. He is known for being honest, setting clear standards, and being responsible for results.
His goal is to improve revenue, restore control to sales activity, and unlock international growth.

Stuart Calder

Operational

Board-level operational leader with more than 25 years of experience in managing underperforming, multi-site, and owner-managed businesses. He also has vast experience in the operational and service industries.
In one case, he took over a non-profit business, made it profitable, and successfully sold it with a high profit margin. He is known for his calmness, decisive leadership and knack for taking hard decisions and executing them in pressure situations.
He is an expert in stabilising performance, restoring operational control, and building businesses that run as predicted.

Martyn Bond

Financial

Board-level finance professional with over 20 years of experience working closely with stakeholders across SMEs, large corporates, and private equity–backed businesses.
Successfully led an SME manufacturing business through a structured sales process to a €1bn industry player.
He is known for making cash flow clearly visible, improving financial controls, and developing reliable metrics that stand up to scrutiny and support leaders to make confident decisions at the board level.

RESULTS SPEAK LOUDER THAN THE WORDS

Trusted By Managing Directors Who Carry The Weight

Most of our clients are active Managing Directors.
We step in to expose what is really blocking performance and work directly with the MD to remove those constraints so the business can move without being pushed.

" Made a really good strategic review of our sales focus with excellent recommendations for improvements.
He makes sure he understands the team, the business and the current processes before suggesting changes. Richard is clearly passionate about delivering for his clients. "

Jerry Lawson — Managing Director

“Took us further in two months than we had progressed in 2 years. An excellent leader with a clear vision that helped us get out of the never-ending circle of going nowhere. ”

Mark Etchells — Finance Director

" Made a really good strategic review of our sales focus with excellent recommendations for improvements.
He makes sure he understands the team, the business and the current processes before suggesting changes. Richard is clearly passionate about delivering for his clients. "

Jerry Lawson — Managing Director

“Took us further in two months than we had progressed in 2 years. An excellent leader with a clear vision that helped us get out of the never-ending circle of going nowhere. ”

Mark Etchells — Finance Director

OUR EXPERIENCE

Experience Earned Within Real Businesses

Our experience was built inside demanding operating businesses where leaders have direct responsibility for results — across ambitious SMEs and global corporate businesses. Having experienced how success can mask fragile execution, we understand how to introduce strong operational discipline, better accountability, flexible performance frameworks and keep teams energised and focused on revenue.

HOW WE ARE FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT

Why Odinnu Exists

Core Reality

As the business grows, dependency gradually builds.

Decisions are taken in haste.Only key individuals concentrate.

Performance depends on the person rather than the system.

You may not see any dependency in the numbers, but it emerges when pressure increases, when the MD takes a break, or when the business is under fire.

Odinnu exists to address this reality head-on.

Who We’re Trusted By

Some owners/founders engage with us because they want control back — or the freedom to step away without the business going down.

Others are recommended by advisors looking to reduce risk and protect value ahead of a major transition.

Circumstances may be different in both, but the problem is the same.

Performance Notes

Latest Articles For MDs

When Everything Comes Back to the MD

When Everything Comes Back to the MD

There’s a point in many businesses where escalation quietly replaces execution. Decisions drift back to…

Pressure Doesn’t Break Businesses. Weak Structure Does.

Pressure Doesn’t Break Businesses. Weak Structure Does.

Pressure shows what was already fragile. The difference between resilience and failure is not energy…

Why ‘Busy’ Is Often a Warning Sign

Why ‘Busy’ Is Often a Warning Sign

‘Busy’ masks misplaced priorities. Activity without decision clarity simply moves the problem around the organisation…

Let’s Have a Chat

Send us a message, and we will reach out to set up a call.