You want to step down in a few years
The earlier you plan, the more options you have. We create clarity about value, timeline and the routes open to you.
Service · SuccessionHand over your life's work
Hand over your life's work
into good hands.
Family, management, an external successor or a sale: we assess the options objectively, talk openly about value and expectations, and implement the solution that suits you and your company.
- All optionsfamily, MBO, MBI or sale
- Start earlyideally 3 to 5 years ahead
- One point of contactfrom concept to handover
Starting point
What matters in succession
- Plan earlythree to five years of lead time create options
- Compare openlyfamily, management and external buyers
- Implement properlyagreement, financing and handover plan
Hundreds of thousands of handovers are due in Germany's Mittelstand, its owner-managed mid-sized companies, in the coming years. At the same time, successors are lacking in many places, and many owners start planning too late. The result is rushed solutions, price discounts or, in the worst case, the closure of a healthy business.
A good succession starts with an honest assessment of your position: what do you want, what does your family want, and how independent is the company of you? Then the options can be compared objectively, from a handover within the family and to your own management through to a sale to an external buyer.
We moderate this process, put the figures on the table and implement the chosen solution, with a view to your life's work, your employees and your financial security.
What you get
What we take care of
- 01
Assessment of your position
Your goals, your timeline and how ready the company is to be handed over.
- 02
Comparison of options
Family, management buy-out, external successor or sale, compared side by side.
- 03
Indication of value
A realistic value as the basis for discussions within the family and with buyers.
- 04
Finding a successor
Targeted approach to external candidates, management teams or buyers.
- 05
Structure and financing
Vendor loan, earn-out, rollover equity and public funding programmes.
- 06
Handover plan
A gradual transfer of responsibility, customers and knowledge.
Process
How we work
- 1Assessment of your position2 to 4 weeks
Clarify goals, timeline and readiness for handover.
- 2Evaluate options2 to 6 weeks
Compare solutions, assess value, make a decision.
- 3Find a successor2 to 6 months
Approach and select candidates or buyers.
- 4Agreement and financing1 to 3 months
Agree structure, purchase price and financing.
- 5Handover6 to 24 months
An orderly transition with clear roles.
Challenges
Typical hurdles and our answer
There is no successor within the family
We examine a management buy-out, external managers and a sale to strategic or financial investors, and compare them openly.
Expectations of the price differ
An independent indication of value creates a common basis for discussions within the family and with successors.
The successor cannot finance the price alone
Vendor loans, earn-outs, development bank loans and a gradual transfer make handovers possible that would otherwise fail.
The company depends on the owner
We plan the handover of customers, knowledge and leadership in stages, so that the bank, employees and customers keep their confidence.
Who it is for
Who this service is for
We work on a small number of mandates at a time. Each one is led personally, from the first conversation to closing.
The next generation is undecided
We moderate open conversations about interests, abilities and expectations and show how a handover within the family can be fair and sustainable.
Your team is to take over
A management buy-out ensures continuity. We structure the purchase price and financing so that the takeover is feasible for your team.
Goals are diverging
If some want to sell and others want to stay, we develop solutions that take shareholders, the company and employees equally into account.
Preparation
What you should prepare
You do not need everything ready. These points help us give you a well-founded assessment quickly.
Send a request- Your personal goals and preferred timing
- Conversations within the family about interests and expectations
- Annual financial statements for the last three years
- An overview of key people and your own role in day-to-day business
- Initial tax and inheritance law questions for your tax adviser
Questions
Frequently asked questions
When should I start planning my succession?
Ideally three to five years before your planned exit. That leaves time to make the company less dependent on its owner.
What if my children do not want to take over the business?
Then a management buy-out, an external successor or a sale are the alternatives. We compare them openly with you.
How does a successor finance the purchase price?
Usually through a combination of equity, bank loans, development bank loans and a vendor loan or earn-out.
Can I keep a stake after the handover?
Yes, for example through rollover equity or a seat on an advisory board. This builds trust with the successor and the bank.
What does succession support cost?
That depends on the route. We agree a fixed fee for the assessment and comparison of options; in the case of a sale, a success fee is added. We clarify the details in the initial meeting.
Who takes care of tax and inheritance law?
Your tax adviser and, where necessary, a specialist lawyer. We work closely with them and make sure that structure and timeline fit together.
Let us talk about your plans.
Confidential, without obligation and personal.
Book a first conversation