Services
Mergers and Acquisitions
Sale
Our goal is to help entrepreneurs to sell their business in optimal conditions.
The sale of a company is the pinnacle of an entrepreneur’s history: it opens a new chapter in his life and, above all, its price reflects all the efforts and investments made until its transmission. Full preparation is the essential requirement to success.
We assist sellers determine their motivations in order to initiate a process in line with their high expectations.
This preparation goes through several stages: Imagining the seller’s future life and being able to look forward with serenity, identifying relevant counterparts and preparing the company for a smooth transition.
Once the management and shareholders are ready to launch the sale, we conduct a confidential process together, serving the interests of our client until the transaction is concluded.
Timing of the process, maintaining the momentum, confidence and working together are keys to success.
Acquisition
We advise entrepreneurs, notably in their acquisition strategy.
Acquisition is a powerful development tool for any company eager to enter new domestic markets or abroad, strengthen its leadership position, diversify activities, and grow faster.
Initially, we analyse the purpose of the acquisition strategy with management and assess its relevance and feasibility. We define criteria that serve as a reference throughout the process: target types, financial figures, sector, location, DNA compatibility, etc.
We always favour a direct approach of target companies, involving entire network of partners.. Once we have confirmed target interest to enter into discussion, we start negotiations with a view to securing and finalising the transaction.
Keys to success are a meticulous methodology, a systematic and organised approach, as well as the quality of an always unpredictable and fascinating meeting between a buyer and a seller who sometimes needs to be urged along.
Fundraising
We advise entrepreneurs in the structuring of their project and the necessity to reinforce their fundraising campaign.
Regardless of the company’s stage of development, it may be necessary to resort to a capital increase to finance growth or reshape balance sheet structure towards the forecast growth.
We assist entrepreneurs in business plan construction, in defining and measuring the necessary resources and selection of counterparts , best adapted to the project and the company’s culture. After defining the profile of the operation, we launch the process, monitor discussions and negotiations until final agreement.
Shareholding reorganisation
We advise shareholders throughout the life cycle of the company’s capital and its possible re-organisation.
Shareholders may use financial investors and banks to initiate the transmission of their business and receive all or part of the fruit of their efforts.
The restructuring of a family shareholding and the capital strengthening of a branch or an heir, requiring the support of an external financial partner, to finance the takeover of the shares of those leaving.
Capital reorganization may also occur in a carve-out when a business unit of a group is considered as non-strategic or a sale to one or several employees of a company.
These operations are often associated with the arrival of new financial investors in a holding company, alongside the former shareholders or the buyers.
Choosing the right partners is a key factor to ensure the success of these operations because all counterparties are not equal.
A good knowledge and appreciation of the distinctiveness of each counterparty considered is essential in our approach in advising our clients.
Operational advisory & Governance
We are involved at different stages in the life of the company to enable each entrepreneur to design their development strategy and thus turn it into a success story.
Our mission, whether on a short-term or long-term basis, leads us to work closely with managers on related issues:
- reviewing their strategy to meet the new challenges of their market
- developing strategic and financial partnerships to ensure their growth
- adapting their organisation to changes in their shareholding structure
- preparing a development plan and presentations prior to the opening of their capital
Our constant concern is to ensure that the entrepreneur’s objectives are consistent with the chosen strategy pursued.
Shareholders mediation
We assist shareholders to face and overcome their internal conflicts and to find creative solutions for the company with which they share a mutual destiny.
Shareholder disputes have various and powerful causes. They are often rooted in differences of understanding of the same facts, in misunderstandings, which gradually create relational blockages, and conflicting hopes… Their consequences are often painful and lasting in companies and the people who are part of them.
Our assistance can take various forms, ranging from a short-term mission of mediation between shareholders to longer-term missions enabling appropriate solutions to emerge for all stakeholders.
The approach involves certain essential steps: starting from reality and facts, listening to different points of view, analysing the balance of strengths, allowing for tensions and emotions to be expressed, identifying the true expectations and motivations of the different people involved before acceptable solutions are found for all concerned.
