Strategic Governance as a Service · Principal-Led · Adversarial by Design
We Simulate Failure
So Leaders Don't Have to
Experience it
Governance advisory built on adversarial challenge,simulation and evidential stress-testing
New research · May 2026
More governance has not produced better governance
Governance spending has never been higher; failure rates have not fallen. Between 2018 and 2024, 32% of listed companies suffered a severe corporate crisis, four-fifths driven by strategy and risk rather than compliance. Our 90-page paper identifies the three structural defects responsible, evidenced through case studies, decision-theory research, and regulatory mapping across three jurisdictions, and presents the structural response: Strategic Governance as a Service.
Read the white paper →The Marentis Difference
Adversarial Analysis
Our Red Team approach subjects every governance assumption to rigorous, dispassionate challenge, revealing hidden fragilities before they surface in a boardroom or regulator examination.
Financial Services Rigour
Governance frameworks developed inside Tier 1 global investment banks, now applied across every sector. Twenty years at the top of institutional finance, not generic consulting methodology.
Principal-Led Engagement
Clients receive board-level CRO expertise directly, with no handoff to junior teams. Our approach is not a traditional leveraged consulting model.
Service Architecture
Strategic Governance as a Service
Four engagement configurations designed around the depth of governance challenge your organisation faces. Every tier embeds our adversarial methodology as standard.
Diagnostic SGaaS
Governance Architecture Assessment
A structured, adversarial assessment of the organisation's governance architecture — identifying structural defects, value gaps, and capability shortfalls. The low-risk entry point for boards that recognise the governance gap but want evidence before committing to ongoing engagement.
Retained SGaaS
Continuous Adversarial Governance Challenge
Continuous, adversarial governance challenge delivered on an annual retainer across board cycles. Governance Pulse Reports, Board Challenge Memos, and Pre-Mortem Diagnostics deployed at strategic inflections. The core SGaaS offering.
Embedded SGaaS
Permanent Board-Level Challenge Function
Permanent board-level presence as a contracted Independent Board Observer or Mandated Advisor, with contractual challenge authority. The principal does not take a directorial appointment — a deliberate design choice that preserves the independence on which the challenge function depends.
Pre-Exit SGaaS
Exit-Aligned Governance
Governance uplift and exit-readiness assessment for PE portfolio companies in the 12–24 months before a sale, IPO, or other liquidity event. Structured to make governance a positive exit narrative, not a diligence liability.
Owen Vallis · Founder & Principal
20 Years. One Principal. Every Engagement.
Twenty years governance experience across Credit Suisse, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley and as Group Chief Risk Officer for SICO Bank. Simultaneously active as a Board Chair and Non-Executive Director. A rare and highly sought after governance advisor who brings that combination to every engagement personally.
Credit Suisse · J.P. Morgan · Morgan Stanley · SICO Bank
Group Chief Risk Officer · £50bn+ AUM · Basel III implementation
Active Prospects · Children's Commissioner · EdAct Trust
Board Chair (>300% turnaround) and NED on a parliamentary statutory body
FCA · PRA · FINMA · CSSF · CBB · SCA
Multi-jurisdictional regulatory depth across the UK, Europe, Switzerland and the GCC
In Practice
Case Studies
Principal-led governance delivered: anonymised engagements, real outcomes.
Risk Governance Overhaul at an FCA-Regulated Insurer
Supervisory pressure triggered a full restructure of the risk committee architecture and rebuild of the risk appetite framework, from the board down.
Read case study →Exit Governance Preparation for a PE-Backed Business Services Group
With a strategic sale 18 months out, governance gaps were identified and remediated before the buyer's due diligence team arrived.
Read case study →Ready to Begin?
Challenge your most critical governance assumptions.
We work with boards and C-suite teams that cannot afford to discover governance failures the hard way. Principal response within 24 hours.
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