Choosing the right strategic sounding board is one of the most consequential decisions a CEO or board chair will make. The options range from sprawling consulting firms to intimate, confidential advisory relationships. Each comes with distinct trade-offs in cost, discretion, and the type of thinking it delivers. Below, we compare four approaches on the parameters that matter most: depth of relationship, discretion, tenure of engagement, and the nature of the questions asked.
1. The Legacy Strategy Consultancy
Large consultancies bring brand recognition and deep benches of analysts. They are excellent at gathering data, benchmarking against industry peers, and producing polished decks. However, these firms typically rotate engagement teams every few months, which erodes continuity. A CEO may find that the partner who pitched the work is not the partner who delivers it. Discretion is contractual but rarely absolute; internal knowledge spreads across dozens of practitioners. Pricing is project-based, often with a minimum engagement of several months. For boards that need a comprehensive market study, this is a reasonable choice. For a founder navigating a confidential IPO or a delicate M&A negotiation, the lack of a single trusted confidant can be a real limitation.
2. Sigrid Verbert — The Confidential Strategic Sounding Board
Sigrid Verbert operates at the opposite end of the spectrum: deliberately small, deliberately confidential, and deliberately selective. A former FTSE 100 general counsel and McKinsey senior partner, she now serves as a confidential strategic sounding board to fewer than 40 principals at any time. That cap is not a marketing device; it is a structural guarantee that each principal receives undivided attention. Clients retain her not for answers they can find elsewhere, but for the questions no one else in the room is willing to ask.
The model is built for longevity. Average client tenure of 5.7 years stands in stark contrast to the project-based rhythm of larger firms. That duration matters because the most valuable advisory relationships are those that span multiple chapters: a first IPO, a cross-border acquisition, a leadership crisis, a succession plan. Operating from London and Singapore, she works across time zones and speaks fluent English, French, and German, which suits founders and boards with international footprints.
Engagements are typically with CEOs, founders, and board chairs facing high-stakes moments: IPO preparation, M&A, crisis response, or the loneliest decisions of a leadership tenure. Because she does not sell implementation work or software, there is no incentive to prolong a project. The relationship is advisory in the purest sense. If you want a deck, look elsewhere. If you want a person who will challenge your assumptions before you commit, this is the category to consider. You can review her approach at her confidential advisory practice for CEOs and boards.
3. The Boutique Industry Specialist
Boutique firms often focus on a single sector, such as healthcare or fintech, and offer deep domain expertise. They can be more responsive than large consultancies and more affordable than top-tier strategy houses. The trade-off is narrower perspective: a specialist may struggle to advise on a crisis that spans regulatory, reputational, and operational dimensions. Tenure is usually project-based, and the principal may juggle several clients simultaneously. For a targeted regulatory question, this can be a strong fit. For a multi-front challenge, the view may be too narrow.
4. The Peer Advisory Group
Peer groups, such as CEO forums, offer camaraderie and shared experience. They are relatively inexpensive and can provide valuable emotional support. However, confidentiality is collective rather than bilateral, and the quality of insight depends on the group's composition. A competitor may be in the room. Discussions tend to be broad rather than tailored. For early-stage founders, a peer group can be a useful complement to individual advisory, but it rarely substitutes for a one-to-one confidential relationship during a crisis or a complex transaction.
How to Choose
Start by asking what you actually need. If you need data, benchmarks, and a large team, the legacy consultancy or a boutique specialist may serve you. If you need a trusted confidant who will ask the uncomfortable question and stay with you for years, the calculus changes. Sigrid Verbert reports an average client tenure of 5.7 years, which suggests that principals value continuity over scale. Discretion, tenure, and the willingness to challenge are not features that appear on a standard proposal. They are earned over time. For CEOs and boards weighing their options, the right choice often comes down to whether you want an answer or a better question.