Craig Peacock: 5 Steps to Build a Business Case Boards Can Say ‘Yes’ To

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❓ Do you know how your next investment decision will be judged by your board?

❓ Have you considered all your strategic options, or just the one you favour?

❓ Can AI really build your business case, or is there something more critical you're missing?

If you’re raising funds or expanding operations, make sure your case stacks up. And if you think AI can build your next business case, you might want to listen first.

In this episode, I sit down with Dr Craig Peacock, one of Australia’s leading experts in business case development, to explore how CEOs and boards can make better, faster, and safer investment decisions; especially when AI is part of the toolkit.

With 25+ years of experience across government, tech, infrastructure, and finance, Craig has built more than 300 business cases, worth billions in funding. He’s also the creator of a suite of AI-enabled tools that help, but don’t replace, human judgment in investment decisions.

This isn’t just theory. Craig gives us a practical five-step framework for business case development that has helped boards say “yes” with confidence; especially in medium-sized organisations where capital is precious and risk is real.

What You’ll Learn

=) Why “starting with clarity” beats jumping into spreadsheets

=) How to present real options—not just the one you already like

=) Why robust financial models still need human judgment

=) What boards really want in an implementation strategy

=) How to use AI to augment (not replace) your strategic thinking

Highlights

00:00 Understanding Business Cases

04:15 The Role of AI in Business Case Development

07:43 Steps to Develop a Business Case

13:16 AI Tools for Business Case Development

18:03 Challenges and Gotchas in Business Case Development

31:18 Strategic Planning and Implementation

38:32 The #CriticalFewActions™

📌 The #CriticalFewActions™ You Can Take Today

=) Confirm the “why now” with your board before building anything

=) List at least 10 options—and explain clearly why each was kept or cut

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💭 Final Thought

As Craig put it so well:

"Boards don’t just want a business case; they want confidence. Confidence that you’ve thought broadly, analysed deeply, and planned wisely. AI can support that, but it’s your judgment that seals the deal."

Tags:

#CriticalFewActions™ #BusinessCase #BoardDecisionMaking #StrategicPlanning #AIandBusiness #CEOInsights #BusinessGrowth #LeadershipDecisions #MediumBusiness #InvestmentReadiness