Bio

Diva Gawander is a Managing Director with Alvarez & Marsal’s European Private Equity Performance Improvement and Operational Restructuring team. He brings over 20 years of experience in performance improvement, interim management, and leading/managing transformation programs in various industries in private equity and corporate spaces. Mr. Gawander’s notable recent engagements include establishing a cashflow management framework (including cash office) and undertaking a WC diagnostic and implementation for a listed consumer goods business (€700 million turnover). He delivered €50 million of cash benefits with a further €45 million validated and in the process of being implemented. Previously, Mr. Gawander led the transformation program for a Pan-European business owned by a Tier 1 PE House. The program generated savings (both cash and revenue-related initiatives) resulting in an increased annualised run-rate EBITDA of 40 +percent (to c.€105 million). He also led the A&M team and served as Chief Transformation Officer (CTO) for a PE-owned business in the business services/communication space (€400 million turnover) and implemented initiatives resulting in €45 million in-year EBITDA benefits over a six-month period. Mr. Gawander led the A&M team PMO for a c.£7 billion turnover steel producer facing severe liquidity. The team identified and drove c.£230 million in tactical EBITDA/cash actions via spend control, discretionary spend, staff, commercial, accounting, etc; reduced capex spend by c.£157 million by reviewing capital projects and cutting, deferring and re-phasing non-critical items; and identified and implemented c.£50 million of working capital improvements. Prior to that, Mr. Gawander provided on-the-ground leadership to the European finance operations of a c.$400 million revenue private equity owned leading player in the testing and measurement industry. He also assisted the CTO of a listed global services company in managing and leading the PMO and developing/driving restructuring and transformation initiatives (exit run-rate savings of £120 million). Mr. Gawander earned a bachelor’s degree in actuarial studies and commerce (finance and accounting major) from the Australian National University. He is a Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. An Australian and British national, he is fluent in English and has a basic command of Hindi.