Turning a 10-year strategy into measurable EBITDA ambition and growth

The circular and energy economy is being reshaped by accelerating decarbonization, shifting regulation, and new competitive dynamics. Our client, a leading waste-to-energy provider, had developed a 10-year corporate strategy the previous year and redesigned its strategy process. But fast-moving market developments demanded a critical review: were the strategic insights still valid, where were the gaps, and how could the strategy be sharpened into something genuinely steerable? Leadership needed an updated fact base, a quantified ambition level grounded in market realities, and a clear logic for prioritizing growth investments — without losing the coherence of the original strategic vision.

We structured the strategy review along three deliberately interlocking tracks rather than sequential phases. First, we challenged the existing fact base with fresh internal and external analyses — testing which strategic assumptions still held, which had been overtaken by market dynamics, and where blind spots remained. Second, we derived a quantified EBITDA ambition through market-driver simulations, forcing the discussion from qualitative aspiration to measurable commitment. Third, we built an investment portfolio logic that translated growth options into norm strategies along the value chain — moving the conversation from “which initiatives are interesting?” to “where do we deploy capital, and why?”

The strategy evolved from a long-term orientation into a fully steerable management system. Quantitatively, leadership now operates against a clarified EBITDA ambition, a sharpened KPI set, and a focused portfolio of prioritized initiatives — embedded in a consistent investment and capital allocation logic. Qualitatively, the impact goes beyond the numbers: the strategy now links long-term direction with near- and mid-term decisions. Capital allocation discussions build on a shared strategic framework, and the leadership team can confidently balance stability and growth in a market undergoing structural change driven by decarbonization.

Our client is a leading European provider in the circular and energy economy, operating at the intersection of waste management and energy generation. Through waste-to-energy infrastructure and sustainable innovation, the company plays a central role in advancing Europe’s transition toward a circular, low-carbon economy.