Polaris Advisory

Services

Polaris Advisory works across five connected disciplines. Engagements range from focused assessment projects to multi-year advisory relationships. Whatever the setting, the standard is the same: independent, senior-level counsel delivered with the practicality of someone who has held both the operating and oversight seats.

Internal Audit Advisory

A strong internal audit function is one of the board's and shareholders' best instruments, when it is properly focused on relevant risks, scoped and resourced. We help organizations build, strengthen and supplement that capability. Where financial and operational controls are failing, we support boards through identification of issues, recommendation of corrective action, follow-up on remediation, and restoration of the control environment and the confidence of those who rely on it.

What this includes

Outsourced and co-sourced internal audit delivery
Establishing an internal audit function from the ground up
External quality assessments against industry standards
Risk-based audits that focus on what matters most in the business
Remediation support following reporting or control failures

Internal Controls and SOX/ICFR

We help organizations strengthen their control environments so that they have reliable and accurate financial reporting, can operate more efficiently and effectively, stay compliant with policies and regulations, and safeguard their assets. We design and repair control environments that fit the business rather than burden it.

What this includes

Identification and remediation of internal control deficiencies and material weaknesses
Control rationalization
IPO readiness and SOX/ICFR preparation for companies preparing to list
Assessment of control environments in acquisition and integration settings
Control design aligned to how the business actually operates

Enterprise Risk and Governance

An effective risk management process identifies and protects the most important areas and processes of a business, ensuring the entity achieves its objectives and creates value. We work with senior leadership, management, boards and executive teams to build risk practices that protect the organization and inform real decisions.

What this includes

Enterprise risk management design and refresh
Governance structure and committee mandate reviews
Risk appetite and tolerance frameworks
Risk reporting that tells leadership what it needs to know
Integration of risk into strategy and capital decisions

Board and Audit-Committee Advisory

Boards and their committees carry growing expectations with limited time. We provide independent counsel to board and committee chairs, committees and individual directors, including a discreet sounding board for board members navigating difficult judgment calls.

What this includes

Audit committee effectiveness reviews
Committee charter and annual workplan and calendar design
Director onboarding on financial oversight and risk
Preparation for heightened scrutiny, activism or regulatory attention
Confidential counsel to chairs and individual directors

Financial Performance and Decision Support

Boards and owners rarely lack financial data. What they lack is a clear view of what the numbers mean, what the business can afford, and which decisions will actually move performance. We work alongside owners, chief executives and finance teams to sharpen budgets, protect cash, and put a defensible case behind the decisions that matter most.

What this includes

Budgeting, forecasting and rolling cash flow visibility
Cash preservation and working capital improvement
Cost structure and SG&A rationalization
Business cases and financial evaluation of major decisions, including capital spend, pricing and new investment
Management reporting and performance measures that show leadership what is really driving results
Financial input to turnaround and performance improvement plans

How engagements work

Fixed-price projects focus on work with a clear beginning, end and deliverable.
Retainers suit oversight relationships that benefit from continuity.
Many clients retain Polaris Advisory on an ongoing basis and add defined projects as needs arise.
Scope, fees and timing are agreed in writing before work begins, and every engagement is led personally by Hussan Arshad.

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