Dr Craig West
For me, being a speaker and adviser means more than sharing theory. I bring real-world experience, research-backed insights, and practical strategies that business owners can apply immediately.
I’ve helped countless owners build significant companies, engage their teams, and prepare for successful exits. On stage and in the boardroom, my mission is to educate, inspire, and empower leaders to build value and truly own their exit.
Succession & Exit Planning Authority | Own Your Exit
.png?width=750&height=1000&name=Untitled-7%20(2).png)
EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP • EXIT INNOVATION
REDEFINING SUCCESSION THROUGH EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP
Craig has spent more than 25 years helping business owners transform the way they prepare for exit. He has advised over 800 businesses, blending research, hands-on advisory, and boardroom experience to deliver real-world outcomes.
Craig’s expertise lies at the intersection of employee ownership and succession planning. He is a passionate advocate for Employee Share Ownership Plans (ESOPs) as a proven model to attract, retain, and reward key people, while also creating a structured pathway for business succession. His proprietary Peak Performance Trust has been recognised nationally, winning the Employee Share Ownership Plan of the Year award twice in four years.
As a published author of multiple books, Craig provides practical frameworks that business owners can implement immediately. His thought leadership extends globally, with his 21-Step Exit Planning Process used internationally by advisers through the Capitaliz digital platform.
.png?width=750&height=682&name=Untitled-1%20(3).png)
LINKING PEOPLE, VALUE & SUCCESSION
CRAIG'S EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP IMPACT
Craig champions Employee Share Ownership Plans (ESOPs) as one of the most powerful ways to link succession planning with people and legacy. He has shown time and again that ESOPs are not just financial structures but also cultural and strategic tools that:
- Unlock value for owners while ensuring continuity of the business.
- Transform employees into owners, driving performance and engagement.
- Preserve legacies by rewarding loyalty and keeping businesses in trusted hands.
- Strengthen industries and communities by fostering sustainable growth models.
Craig’s proprietary Peak Performance Trust has become a benchmark in this field, and the results speak for themselves:
Plans
Employees
Shares
Value
BUSINESSES THAT ARE READY FOR WHAT'S NEXT
EXIT PLANNING & VALUE ACCELERATION
Craig brings together succession planning and value acceleration to help owners prepare strategically for the future. Through his proven 21-Step Exit Planning Process, he works with business leaders to:
-
Maximise valuation by identifying and unlocking hidden value.
-
De-risk operations to make the business more attractive and resilient.
-
Accelerate growth and transferability so the company is ready for whatever transition lies ahead — from management buyouts and trade sales to innovative employee ownership models.
The result is a future-ready business: stronger, more valuable, and positioned for a successful exit on the owner’s terms.
INSPIRING AUDIENCES TO RETHINK SUCCESSION AND EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP
When Craig steps on stage, audiences gain more than theory — they gain practical strategies drawn from 25+ years of advising business owners. As one of Australia’s leading voices in succession, exit planning, employee ownership, and value acceleration, Craig has guided hundreds of mid-market businesses through their most important transitions.
His style is clear, practical, and people-focused. Whether in a boardroom or on a global stage, Craig translates complex financial and structural concepts into practical insights advisers and business leaders can use immediately to build stronger companies and prepare for the future.
KEY TOPICS CRAIG SPEAKS ON INCLUDE:
Employee Ownership
Exploring how Employee Share Ownership Plans (ESOPs) can attract, retain, and reward key people while creating a structured, value-driven pathway for succession.
Value Acceleration
Leveraging his proprietary frameworks like the Business Insights Report and the nationally recognised Peak Performance Trust to help business owners build significant value and drive growth.
Succession Planning
Guiding owners through practical, research-grounded strategies that prepare businesses for leadership transition and sustained longevity.
Exit Planning
Sharing his globally adopted 21-Step Exit Planning Process and other tools designed to help business owners plan, prepare, and execute successful exits.
TRUSTED BY OWNERS AND LEADERS
5 Reasons to Work With Dr Craig West
- Expert in ESOPs & Succession
- A Proven 21-Step Framework
- Deep Research Foundation
- Recognised Global Authority
- Trusted Adviser and Keynote Speaker
Proven expertise with 800+ clients and hundreds of ESOPs implemented – Two-time winner of Employee Share Ownership Plan of the Year.
Applied internationally to help businesses grow, build value, and prepare for succession.
DBA thesis on business exit options in Australian SMEs.
Exit Planner of the Year (2014) and Circle of Excellence (2024), Exit Planning Institute.
Known for making complex strategies clear, practical, and actionable.
CRAIG'S JOURNEY
From starting as an accountant to founding Succession Plus and Capitaliz, Craig has dedicated his career to helping advisers and owners of mid-market businesses build transferable value and plan for what’s next. Along the way, he's:
-
2009
Founded Succession Plus
Succession Plus is now Australia’s largest firm dedicated to employee ownership, succession, and exit planning.
-
2011
Developed the 21-Step Exit Planning Process
A comprehensive framework that has guided hundreds of successful business transitions.
-
2011 & 2012
Won ESOP of the Year award using the Peak Performance Trust (PPT) model
The PPT is a unique ESOP structure developed by Craig himself and available exclusively through Succession Plus.
-
2014
Won Exit Planner of the Year
Awarded Exit Planner of the Year by the Exit Planning Institute in Fort Worth, Texas for his proprietary 21-Step Business Succession and Exit Planning model.
-
2021
Digitised Exit Planning Through Capitaliz
Digitising the 21-Step Exit Planning Process to make succession planning scalable, structured, and consistent, empowering advisers worldwide to deliver Craig’s proven methodology to their clients.
-
2022
Awarded DBA for Thesis on SME Exit Strategies
Awarded a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) for his thesis: “Examination of the Key Factors Driving Business Exit Options in Australian Small and Medium Enterprises.” Craig’s research continues to shape his strategic mentoring and advisory work.
-
2024
Inducted into EPI's Circle of Excellence
-
Today
Leading authority on ESOPs and succession, helping owners worldwide "Own Their Exit".
If you are looking to build your business and exit, maximising value and ensuring the business continues successfully, then this 21-step guide should be your bible - it is a simple and practical process to work through to ensure you are able to “begin with the end in mind”.
Follow the steps outlined by exit planning Guru, Craig West, and you are far more likely to exit successfully.
Mark Bouris
Entrepreneur, Innovator and Author | Mentored | Yellow Brick Road
Umwelt is an environmental and social consultancy, with over 120 people providing services across the nation. We have worked with Succession Plus for over 10 years, during which time Craig West provided business and succession planning advice, and Craig and the Succession Plus team guided us through the process of establishing our Employee Share Plan. Our Employee Share Plan is now well established, with 55 (44%) of our team currently participating, and we expect this to continue growing in the years ahead. The Succession Plus advice and support throughout this process has been outstanding, providing timely guidance and insight to our Board and Executive Team, in addition to delivering training for our whole team and ongoing maintenance of the ESP. We are so very pleased to have a growing number of our team thinking and acting like business owners!
Barbara Crossley
Managing Director | Umwelt
Craig presented an informative, practical session on Succession and Exit Planning at the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia’s Public Practitioners Conference. These sessions were extremely well received, leaving plenty for our members to think about in their own practices and also how they can provide succession planning advice to their clients. Furthermore, Craig’s six-part webinar series left members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia thrilled with not only Craig’s knowledge and enthusiasm but his willingness to assist them after each session. Based on the feedback collected from attendees, we noted the overall satisfaction rating was 96% - at the very top end of our scale.
Emma McWhannell
| Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia
Craig West spoke at the Real Estate Leadership Conference on Hamilton Island. He addressed over 150 of Australia’s leading real estate principals and really impressed the entire audience. Craig has the unique gift of being highly engaging and delivering an enormous amount of solid take home value. I know many of the delegates walked away rethinking their entire financial structure and succession plans for their businesses. Finding great speakers that entertain and offer lots of business changing content are hard to find and we will definitely have Craig back again. He was a pleasure to work with and took a lot of time prior to the event to understand the audience and what they wanted to hear. His presentation absolutely hit the mark in every way. He would be a hit at any conference and I can’t recommend him highly enough.
Leanne Howard
Head of Growth and Client Engagement | Real Estate Results
OWN YOUR NEXT MOVE
Connect with Craig to discuss how he can help.