Who We Are
Built to
Execute
Chain Mountain is a strategy and technology consulting firm built for organizations that need more than advice. We plan the path, execute the climb, and elevate your success.
Our Story
Chain Mountain was founded by a team of operators, executives, and technologists who had grown frustrated with the traditional consulting model — firms that delivered polished recommendations but left clients to figure out execution on their own.
We built Chain Mountain on a different premise: that the most valuable thing a consulting firm can do is stay in the room. Our team has held the roles we advise on — C-suite positions, board seats, and operational leadership across private equity, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, and technology.
When we engage with a client, we bring that operator experience to bear — combined with the power of APEX, our proprietary AI platform — to deliver outcomes that move the needle on enterprise value.
The name Chain Mountain reflects our philosophy: every great ascent requires a plan, a team, and the discipline to execute. We are the partner that helps you make the climb.
Our Mission
"Plan the path, execute the climb, and elevate your success."
Our Vision
To be the most trusted execution partner for organizations navigating complex transformation — delivering results that create lasting competitive advantage.
What We Stand For
Execution Over Advice
We don't hand you a deck and walk away. We stay in the room, own the work, and drive outcomes alongside your team.
Unvarnished Truth
We tell clients what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. Honest assessment is the foundation of every engagement.
Operator Mindset
Our team has sat in the seats we advise on. We bring real-world operator experience — not just frameworks and theory.
Measurable Value
Every engagement is anchored to outcomes. We define success in terms of EBITDA, efficiency, growth, or risk reduction — and we hold ourselves accountable to it.
What Makes Us Different
We Execute, Not Just Advise
Most consulting firms deliver recommendations. Chain Mountain delivers results. Our team embeds with your organization and drives initiatives from kickoff through completion.
APEX-Powered Delivery
Every engagement is powered by APEX, our proprietary AI platform. This means faster analysis, smarter recommendations, and AI-accelerated execution that traditional firms can't match.
Operator-Level Expertise
Our partners have held C-suite and senior leadership roles across the industries we serve. We don't just understand your challenges — we've lived them.
Private Equity DNA
Chain Mountain was built with PE-grade rigor. We understand how to create value under time pressure, align with board expectations, and deliver results that move the needle on enterprise value.
The Team Behind the Climb
Our managing partners and advisors bring decades of combined executive experience across the industries and functions we serve.
Hank Ackerman
Managing Partner
Hank brings over two decades of executive leadership experience across private equity, technology, and operations. He has led transformations for portfolio companies ranging from early-stage growth businesses to large-scale enterprise organizations, with a focus on creating measurable value through technology and operational excellence.
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Miles English
Managing Partner
Miles is a seasoned entrepreneur and technology executive who has founded and scaled multiple businesses across the technology and consulting sectors. His deep expertise in digital strategy, AI, and organizational transformation informs Chain Mountain's approach to every engagement.
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Matt Cheek
Managing Partner
Matt has spent his career at the intersection of finance, operations, and technology — helping organizations unlock value through disciplined execution. His background spans private equity portfolio management, supply chain optimization, and enterprise technology implementation.
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Phil Tearne
Managing Partner
Phil brings a unique blend of strategic advisory and hands-on operational experience. With a background spanning multiple industries and geographies, he helps clients navigate complex transformation challenges with clarity, pragmatism, and a relentless focus on outcomes. Phil is also the vision behind APEX.
LinkedIn ProfileBoard of Advisors
Seasoned executives and operators who bring independent perspective, deep domain expertise, and strategic counsel to Chain Mountain and our clients.
Chris Shimojima
CEO, board director, founder, and advisor who helps companies navigate growth and transformation when the path forward is not obvious. Career spans Nike, Sears/Kmart, kozmo.com, and Provide Commerce/ProFlowers, with roots in brand management at Nestlé and PepsiCo. Today he leads C5 Advisory, working directly with CEOs, founders, and leadership teams as advisor, coach, and strategic partner — helping companies move from ambition to action.
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Piers Shore
Global CIO, CISO, and Managing Director with deep international experience across healthcare (Eli Lilly), private equity (Gryphon Investors), engineering (General Cable / Shermco), CPG (Fonterra), and IT Services (HCL). Career spans nearly two decades at Eli Lilly — including CIO for Asian Operations — and Global CIO at Fonterra, a multibillion-dollar enterprise representing 10% of New Zealand's GDP. Expert in digital transformation, AI, omni-channel marketing, and cybersecurity. Raised in Africa, educated in the UK and France, fluent in several languages, and proven leading globally-dispersed teams across Japan, Hong Kong, Emerging Markets, New Zealand, and the US.
LinkedIn ProfileGrowing Our Team
We're Building
Something Different
Because the truth is, the work is hard. Complex clients, high stakes, aggressive timelines.
If you're here because you want to do the most interesting work of your career, alongside people who've actually done the job at scale, we'd love to talk.
"The most interesting work of your career — alongside people who've actually done it."
We're always looking for operators, technologists, and strategists who are tired of advising from the sidelines and want to be in the room where it happens.
Explore Career Opportunities