Adding value
Our specialist corporate finance teams focus on adding value for you at each stage in the process of an MBI; developing your business strategy and team, finding the right target, negotiating the deal, securing financial support and managing the transaction.

Developing your business strategy and team
Successful MBIs are founded on experienced management teams and focused business strategies aimed at creating real growth in value. If appropriate, we can introduce you to individuals with complementary skills and objectives to build or enhance your team.  We will obtain an understanding of the dynamics of your chosen marketplace and its future potential and use this to contribute to the development of an effective, focused business strategy.

Finding the right target
We can undertake confidential research and screening of potential businesses, seeking to match your purchasing criteria with the target's attributes and vendor's likely selling objectives. We are also aware of businesses for sale through the Grant Thornton international network as well as our external contacts.

Negotiating the deal
Our ability to assess the value of the target business to its shareholders as well as to you as the purchaser, combined with our extensive negotiating experience, enables us to enhance the prospects of a deal being agreed. We will also advise you on the most appropriate structure of your offer and the form and timing of consideration.  Our highly experienced taxation specialists work closely with us in achieving the best deal structure, which can often bridge the gap between what a purchaser is willing to pay and what a vendor is prepared to accept.

Securing financial support
Using our knowledge of both your strategy and the financial marketplace we will develop an appropriate financial structure and approach those active institutions best suited to your situation. Our experience of current market trends and of negotiations with financial institutions will enable us to obtain the right deal for you and your business.

Investigating to reduce risk
Having agreed the terms of the deal and secured the financial support, the next crucial step is to investigate the business you are buying into. Your financiers will also want such an investigation before committing their funds. We will assist you and your financiers in focusing the due diligence process on key areas and can bring our financial investigation skills to bear as part of that process.

Managing the transaction
The vendor and your financiers will share your desire to see the MBI go ahead, but will have their own differing objectives and timetables. They will each have their own advisers, particularly legal, resulting in a significant number of parties involved in the transaction.

We will actively manage the transaction to drive it forward, overcoming obstacles as they arise and keeping the vendor focused on running the business to maintain its value for you.

After the deal
Grant Thornton are leading financial and business advisers.  We specialise in helping entrepreneurial businesses succeed.  Having assisted you to become an owner-manager we will be keen to work with you too.