Actavo in the mid 2010s, under former CEO Sean Corkery, is a case study in what happens when a company pursues growth at all costs.  In 2017, revenue peaked at €465 million and headcount reached 4,138 — an increase of 63 per cent in three years.  Under Corkery, Actavo “spread its wings”. It made an effort to crack the US broadband installation market. It won contracts from the Royal Navy. It formed joint ventures in Kazakhstan.  The investments didn’t bear fruit, and by 2018, Actavo was in serious trouble. Net debt went up by €50 million between 2014 and 2017. Return…

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