mhance appoints Chris Allan as chief executive officer

mhance has appointed Chris Allan as Chief Executive Officer as the Microsoft-focused services firm enters a new phase under private equity owner SilverTree Equity.

Allan takes over leadership after SilverTree acquired mhance last year. SilverTree is a London-based investor which said it manages $1 billion in assets. mhance operates from offices in London, Manchester and Dublin and employs more than 120 people.

The company works with Microsoft products including Dynamics 365, Azure, Power BI, SharePoint and the Power Platform. mhance holds all six Microsoft Solutions Partner designations across Business Applications, Data & AI, Digital & App Innovation, Infrastructure, Modern Work and Security.

Leadership change

Allan has run private-equity-backed software and technology services businesses. His previous roles include Chief Executive Officer at Livingstone Group, which was backed by Carlyle, and at Adludio, which was backed by Francisco Partners.

mhance said Allan will focus on its Microsoft-first approach. The company also said it plans a shift towards a more scalable and data-led operating model. mhance linked that work to how customers use Microsoft cloud services.

The appointment comes after what mhance described as a significant year. The company said SilverTree's investment has provided a platform for growth. It also said it has increased its focus on scaling the business, expanding capability and increasing customer value.

Allan said he was attracted to mhance's existing customer relationships and teams.

"What attracted me to mhance was the strength of the foundations already in place; loyal customers, experienced teams and a reputation for integrity." said Chris. "With SilverTree's backing, we have a strong opportunity to further invest in areas such as Power Platform, Data & AI, and broader horizontal cloud capabilities. This will allow us to enhance our leadership position in the not‐for‐profit sector, increase the value we deliver to customers, and accelerate growth across additional verticals."

Product focus

mhance works across not-for-profit, public sector and commercial organisations. Allan's comments pointed to continued emphasis on the not-for-profit sector. He also signalled plans for expansion into other vertical markets.

He also highlighted changes in demand among customers adopting Microsoft technology. He said customers are moving away from discrete enterprise software projects and towards connected cloud platforms that include artificial intelligence features.

"Our customers are moving beyond standalone ERP and CRM implementations toward integrated cloud-native and AI-enabled platforms. Our priority is to ensure that Microsoft technology not only delivers modern, end‐to‐end solutions but also drives meaningful operational and commercial impact for our clients throughout their lifecycle" continued Chris.

mhance's portfolio includes Microsoft Dynamics 365, which spans enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management applications. The company also provides services around Azure cloud infrastructure and analytics tools such as Power BI. Its stated areas of investment include the Power Platform and data and AI work.

Owner backing

mhance Chairman Julian Stone described the appointment as a step in the company's development under SilverTree's ownership. Stone said Allan brings knowledge of Microsoft's partner ecosystem and experience scaling a services business.

"Chris's appointment is a significant step in the continued development of mhance. He brings a deep understanding of the Microsoft ecosystem and the leadership discipline required to scale a high-performing managed services and solutions business. We are confident that under his leadership, mhance will strengthen its market position and continue to deliver increasing value for customers and shareholders alike." said Julian Stone, Chairman, mhance.

SilverTree said it invests in software and technology-enabled businesses and has been involved in more than 75 transactions. mhance said Allan will lead investment in Microsoft-focused services including Power Platform and Data & AI as the business looks to expand beyond its established base in not-for-profit and into additional sectors.