Leadership Due Diligence
Understand the leadership team behind the investment
Lumina Executive is a boutique leadership advisory helping investors and boards assess leadership effectiveness, potential and risk across the investment lifecycle
Lumina Executive is a boutique leadership advisory helping investors and boards assess leadership effectiveness, potential and risk across the investment lifecycle
Combining rigorous leadership assessment with a business and risk perspective shaped by 10+ years in credit risk,
rating analysis and financial services and 4+ years in business psychology & executive coaching
rating analysis and financial services and 4+ years in business psychology & executive coaching
Leadership Due Diligence
Adding a leadership lens to investment and portfolio decisions.
Financial and commercial due diligence provide critical insight into the business. Leadership due diligence looks at another important part of the equation: the people responsible for delivering the plan.
Lumina provides an independent assessment of leadership strengths, potential risks and readiness in the context of the role, business and investment situation.
Financial and commercial due diligence provide critical insight into the business. Leadership due diligence looks at another important part of the equation: the people responsible for delivering the plan.
Lumina provides an independent assessment of leadership strengths, potential risks and readiness in the context of the role, business and investment situation.
- PsychometricsValidated Hogan Assessments
HPI, HDS & MVPI - Leadership InterviewStructured assessment of
leadership team characteristics & behaviour - Business & Role ContextInterpreting leadership evidence against
role & business requirements
Leadership Risk May Not Be Visible in the Numbers
Strong historical performance does not necessarily tell you whether leadership team is ready for what comes next. An investment, acquisition or growth phase can fundamentally change what is required from the CEO and leadership team.
What investors may need to understand:
Leadership scalability
Can key leaders navigate greater scale, complexity and accountability?
Key-person dependency
Where does the business depend disproportionately on the founder, CEO or another executive?
Leadership risk
What behavioural patterns or potential derailers may become more significant under pressure?
Role fit & readiness
How well do leadership characteristics align with the demands ahead?
Leadership bench
Where may capability or succession gaps require further attention?
The objective is not to predict performance. It is to provide additional evidence for better-informed leadership and investment decisions.
Leadership scalability
Can key leaders navigate greater scale, complexity and accountability?
Key-person dependency
Where does the business depend disproportionately on the founder, CEO or another executive?
Leadership risk
What behavioural patterns or potential derailers may become more significant under pressure?
Role fit & readiness
How well do leadership characteristics align with the demands ahead?
Leadership bench
Where may capability or succession gaps require further attention?
The objective is not to predict performance. It is to provide additional evidence for better-informed leadership and investment decisions.
Leadership Due Diligence Across the Investment Lifecycle
Validated Psychometric Insight Hogan Assessments provide research-based insight into three important dimensions of leadership:
For leadership due diligence, Hogan provides one structured source of evidence for understanding leadership strengths, potential risks and behavioural tendencies.
It does not stand alone. Findings are interpreted alongside a structured leadership interview and the specific requirements of the role, business and investment context.
- Everyday strengths (HPI). How an executive typically approaches work, relationships and leadership.
- Potential derailers (HDS). Behavioural tendencies that may become more visible under pressure, uncertainty or increased complexity.
- Values & drivers (MVPI). The motives, priorities and values that shape decisions, leadership behaviour and organisational culture.
For leadership due diligence, Hogan provides one structured source of evidence for understanding leadership strengths, potential risks and behavioural tendencies.
It does not stand alone. Findings are interpreted alongside a structured leadership interview and the specific requirements of the role, business and investment context.
What makes Hogan different?
Lumina Executive is a certified partner of Hogan Assessments.
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Reputation over intention
Most assessments focus on how people see themselves. Hogan explores how others are likely to experience you. -
Insight grounded in research
30 years of data-backed research that PREDICTS how a leader or a team will likely to perform. -
The "Dark Side"
Unlike traditional tests, Hogan uncovers behaviour patterns that emerge under stress, pressure or uncertainty.
WHAT THE ASSESSMENT COVERS
A structured view of leadership strengths, potential risks and readiness in the context of the business and investment thesis.
- 01 — Leadership EffectivenessHow the leader operates, makes decisions and leads others in the current context.1
- 02 — Key StrengthsLeadership characteristics and capabilities that may support successful execution.2
- 03 — Leadership RisksPotential blind spots, derailers and behavioural patterns that may emerge under pressure.3
- 04 — Role Fit & ReadinessAlignment between the leader's characteristics and the demands of the current or future role.4
- 05 — PotentialCapacity to navigate increasing scale, complexity, ambiguity and leadership responsibility.5
- 06 — Potential Business ImpactHow identified leadership patterns may influence decisions, teams and execution.6
HOW IT WORKS
01 - Decision & Business Context
Clarify the investment or leadership decision
We begin with the investor, board or sponsor to understand the business context, role requirements and the leadership questions the assessment needs to inform.
We begin with the investor, board or sponsor to understand the business context, role requirements and the leadership questions the assessment needs to inform.
02 - Hogan Assessment Suite: HPI · HDS · MVPI
Validated psychometric insight into everyday leadership characteristics, potential derailers, motives and values.
03 - Structured Leadership Interview (90–120 minutes)
Exploring leadership experience and behavioural evidence around decision-making, pressure, complexity, delegation, stakeholders and change.
04 - Leadership Team Due Diligence Report
Integrated assessment of:
Leadership Effectiveness
Key Strengths
Leadership Risks
Potential
Role Fit & Readiness
Business Impact
with key implications and areas requiring attention.
Leadership Effectiveness
Key Strengths
Leadership Risks
Potential
Role Fit & Readiness
Business Impact
with key implications and areas requiring attention.
05 - Investor / Board Debrief
From assessment evidence to decision-relevant insight
A confidential discussion of the findings, their relevance to the business context and the team development plan.
A confidential discussion of the findings, their relevance to the business context and the team development plan.
My background in credit risk and financial analysis brings a different lens to leadership assessment.
For years, I evaluated organisations not only on their strengths and potential, but also on the risks that could affect future performance. Today I apply the same mindset to leadership.
For years, I evaluated organisations not only on their strengths and potential, but also on the risks that could affect future performance. Today I apply the same mindset to leadership.
What Investors & Boards Gain
Greater visibility into the leadership behind critical investment and executive decisions.
- 01 — Leadership Risk VisibilityEarlier identification of potential leadership vulnerabilities, blind spots and behavioural risks1
- 02 — Greater Decision ConfidenceAdditional evidence to inform investment, appointment and leadership decisions.2
- 03 — Key-Person Risk InsightGreater visibility into founder, CEO and key-executive dependencies.3
- 04 — Leadership Capability GapsIdentification of areas that may require development, additional capability or further investigation.4
- 05 — Actionable PrioritiesClear areas of focus for post-investment leadership development and value-creation planning.5
- 06 — Role & Readiness InsightA clearer view of how leadership characteristics align with current and future role demands.6
Why Lumina
More than 10 years in international financial institutions including Deutsche Bank and Fitch Ratings.
Understanding leadership in high-performance, high-stakes environments.
Understanding leadership in high-performance, high-stakes environments.
We do not rely solely on psychometric results.
Assessment findings are combined with structured leadership interviews and business context.
Assessment findings are combined with structured leadership interviews and business context.
Leadership is assessed not only through strengths and risks, but through its impact on decisions, accountability, execution and organizational performance.
We don't rely on psychometrics alone. Structured leadership interviews help connect assessment insights to real business challenges, leadership decisions and organisational outcomes.
Combining Hogan Assessments, structured interviews and practical business insight.
Clear strengths, risks and development priorities translated into practical next steps.
About Ekaterina
Ekaterina Usova
Founder | Leadership Assessment & Due Diligence Advisor
MSc Finance · MSc Business Psychology · Hogan Certified
MSc Finance · MSc Business Psychology · Hogan Certified
I founded Lumina Executive to bring a stronger leadership lens to critical business and investment decisions.
Before moving into leadership assessment and advisory, I spent more than a decade in international financial services with Deutsche Bank, Fitch Ratings and Fitch Solutions, working across credit risk, ratings and institutional markets.
That experience shaped how I approach leadership today. In financial analysis, understanding performance requires looking beyond what is visible today — identifying strengths, dependencies and risks that may influence future outcomes.
I bring the same analytical mindset to leadership.
Through structured assessment, I help investors and boards gain deeper insight into the executives behind a business — their strengths, potential risks, readiness and alignment with the demands ahead.
My work combines business experience, validated psychometrics, structured leadership interviews and organizational insight to provide an additional source of evidence for important leadership decisions.
Leadership insight for better-informed business and investment decisions.
Before moving into leadership assessment and advisory, I spent more than a decade in international financial services with Deutsche Bank, Fitch Ratings and Fitch Solutions, working across credit risk, ratings and institutional markets.
That experience shaped how I approach leadership today. In financial analysis, understanding performance requires looking beyond what is visible today — identifying strengths, dependencies and risks that may influence future outcomes.
I bring the same analytical mindset to leadership.
Through structured assessment, I help investors and boards gain deeper insight into the executives behind a business — their strengths, potential risks, readiness and alignment with the demands ahead.
My work combines business experience, validated psychometrics, structured leadership interviews and organizational insight to provide an additional source of evidence for important leadership decisions.
Leadership insight for better-informed business and investment decisions.
From Assessment to Action
Leadership insight is most valuable when it informs the decisions that follow. Assessment findings can provide a starting point for focused work with investors, boards and management teams as the business evolves.
Optional
- Leadership Team Development & Coaching
- Strategy Team Sessions
- Team Effectiveness & Alignment Sessions
Support is tailored to the assessment findings, business context and priorities of the investor and management team.
Have an Upcoming Investment or Critical Leadership Decision?
Start with a complimentary Leadership Team Risk Workshop.
If you are evaluating an investment, reviewing portfolio or considering a critical executive appointment, we can begin by identifying the leadership questions that matter most.
In a focused introductory session, we explore:
What will the business require from its leadership?
Where could leadership team risk or dependency sit?
What would be valuable to assess before the decision is made?
If you are evaluating an investment, reviewing portfolio or considering a critical executive appointment, we can begin by identifying the leadership questions that matter most.
In a focused introductory session, we explore:
What will the business require from its leadership?
Where could leadership team risk or dependency sit?
What would be valuable to assess before the decision is made?
Lumina Executive Consulting
Professional services in leadership effectiveness assessment, leadership development, and organisational consulting.
© 2026 Lumina Executive. All rights reserved.
Professional services in leadership effectiveness assessment, leadership development, and organisational consulting.
© 2026 Lumina Executive. All rights reserved.
