Because brand is not cosmetic. It’s commercial.
Building Brand Equity
A playbook for the new era of Private Equity value creation
While traditional PE value creation levers matter, they are not enough anymore. That’s where brand comes in. We are not talking about a logo or colours or a few irregular posts on LINKEDIN. We are talking about brand as equity. Brand as a strategic moat. Brand as the lever that turns trust into pricing power, culture into retention, and narrative into a valuation premium. We believe that in almost every single business context, from the mid-market to B2B, brand creates value. As more and more PE funds invite brand to the value creation table, the case studies prove it.
Because without a brand to believe in, there’s no reason to choose you. No reason to stay. And no story to pay a premium for at exit.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Claire Keet is the CEO of CAPITIL, where she and the team work with major financial institutions to leverage brand equity for portfolio growth, M&A integration, and high-value exits. With an extensive background in venture design, brand, strategy, and communications, Claire crafts human-centred brand strategies rooted in deep insights. Named one of M&G’s Top 200 Young South Africans (in Justice & Law), she transforms brand into a powerful strategic lever across startups and multinationals alike.
Thalia Bruinders is CAPITIL’S COO and brings a wealth of experience as a strategic brand leader with expertise across Communications, Digital, PR, and Production. Thalia has led teams in the delivery of award-winning work for brands like Volkswagen, Doritos, Paco Rabanne, and WWF. At CAPITIL, she drives brand-led growth through M&A and private equity value creation. A multi-PRISM winner and Business Day judge, she’s known for building happy, high-performing teams and creating brand assets that drive measurable value.
Stakeholder Communication is a core factor in determining whether business change succeeds or fails. We deliver Communication Advisory & Execution to reduce the risks of:
Employees jumping ship
Investors retracting
Clients leaving
Suppliers pulling contracts
Regulators intervening
Partners withdrawing
Boards losing confidence
Unions escalating disputes
Communities losing trust
A MULTI-NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP
How we minimised ExCo and employee resistance to a major strategic pivot
A NATIONAL RETAILER
How we minimised employee, management and customer uncertainty during a series of acquisitions
A LISTED INDUSTRIAL & TECHNOLOGY GROUP
How we achieved stakeholder brand advocacy during a high-stakes merger
Explore insights and lessons from leaders who have navigated high-stakes stakeholder relations successfully.
