At All Interests Aligned, we regularly host Q&A sessions to help ambitious leaders explore whether our MBI Program is the right next step for them. Nobody is better placed to answer those questions than Natalia Zeranska — AIA's Chief Talent Officer and the architect of our Operating Partner selection process. Here, we distil the most frequently asked questions from those sessions into one essential read.
Natalia Zeranska leads the search for the next generation of SME CEOs. As Chief Talent Officer, she oversees the selection process for OPs joining the AIA MBI Program — the people who will go on to acquire, run, and grow established businesses. If you've ever wondered what AIA is really looking for, Natalia can tell you more.
This is the question we hear most.
AIA evaluates candidates through two lenses: the seller's and the investor's.
What does that mean in practice? You need general management experience – specifically, having been responsible for both the commercial performance and the profitability of a business. Around five years of GM experience is typically what it takes to be considered a safe pair of hands.
The second dimension is credibility in a sector. Sellers and investors need to believe you are the right person to take their business forward. Domain knowledge matters – not just leadership ability in the abstract.
Natalia describes AIA's support across three distinct phases:
During origination, AIA helps operating partners build their deal sourcing strategy – how to approach sellers, brokers, and intermediaries, and how to keep a pipeline active over what can be a demanding search period.
During deal evaluation, a dedicated team steps in on the technical side: valuations, due diligence, and deal structuring. You bring the deal; AIA brings capital and the structured support you need to make it happen.
Once you're in the CEO seat, the support doesn't stop. AIA acts as a sparring partner for business challenges, and a professional board provides ongoing governance and guidance. Because as Natalia puts it, being a CEO can be lonely, but you shouldn't have to be alone.
Absolutely, says Natalia – and she means it.
The AIA MBI Program is designed for any exceptional leader who is at the right moment in their professional and personal life to make this commitment. And it is a commitment. This isn't simply a new CEO role. It's a decision to search for, acquire, and take full responsibility for a business you will run and grow.
For women who are ready for ownership – not just leadership – this program is built for you.
AIA focuses on a specific and compelling niche: established businesses facing genuine succession challenges.
Typically, this means an owner-operator who is ready to retire but has no natural successor lined up. These are businesses that have stood the test of time – cash flow positive, financially healthy, and deeply embedded in their local economies and industries.
These are not turnarounds. They are companies that have already proven their worth. The opportunity is in taking something good and making it great – with the right leader at the helm.
AIA hosts regular Q&A sessions throughout the year for prospective candidates. If you're a senior leader considering your next chapter – one that involves ownership, not just employment – we'd love to have you join one.
Or reach out directly. We're always happy to have a conversation.
