When is an M&A advisor worth it?

An M&A advisor is worth it as soon as a decision around sale, succession, investor or acquisition is on the table — even if nothing has been decided yet. The preparation phase decisively shapes the eventual outcome: realistic valuation, clean materials, clear goals. Those who only think of an advisor once a concrete buyer is at the table have usually already given up the biggest lever.

What sets IGCP apart from large firms?

We focus consistently on the DACH region and work independently — without ties to banks, investors or our own funds. Mandates are led at partner level, not passed down. This fits owner-led companies that need a sparring partner on equal footing who shares industry reality and an owner perspective.

How confidential is a first conversation?

A first meeting is strictly confidential and non-binding — confidentiality agreements are signed before any mandate on request. We discuss situation, options and approach without creating any obligation. Discretion is not a selling point in our business, it is a basic requirement.

Services · Strategic Advisory

Strategic advisory — strategic, independent, on equal footing.

Not every advisory engagement has to end in a transaction. Often entrepreneurs first need an experienced sparring partner: someone who knows the options, gives an honest assessment and thinks along — without pushing for a sale out of self-interest. That is exactly what our strategic advisory is for.

For more than 20 years IGCP Capital Partners has been advising owners in the DACH region on succession, company sales, investor search and purchase price maximisation. Across more than 100 supported transactions we have seen what works well — and what often goes wrong when strategic preparation is missing. We are 100% independent and work exclusively in our clients' interest.

Advisory before any transaction

Before any sale or investment process starts, the strategic options should be clarified: should you sell at all? If so, to which buyer universe and on what time horizon? What alternatives — minority investment, MBO, holding structure — exist? What is the cost of inaction?

We work through these questions calmly with our clients, without sales pressure. Often the analysis shows that the right time for a transaction has not yet arrived — or that internal preparation work is more sensible than starting a process immediately. Both are good outcomes. For us, advisory does not mean talking a deal into existence; it means preparing the right decision at the right time.

Shareholder transitions and restructuring

Owner-led companies change — sometimes quietly and gradually, sometimes in a clearly defined transition. Buying out individual shareholders, the entry of the next generation, separation of family branches, bundling several stakes into a holding: such events touch valuation, financing, governance and tax at the same time.

We accompany these processes as commercial advisor and negotiator — together with tax advisors and lawyers responsible for tax and legal execution. The goal is a solution that holds within the family or among shareholders and keeps the company capable of acting.

A sparring partner on equal footing

Owners usually make the truly big decisions alone. A second, independent opinion in those moments is often more valuable than any extensive study. We see our role in ongoing advisory as that of an experienced sparring partner: listening, framing, probing, laying out options — and leaving the decision with the entrepreneur.

Concretely: regular confidential conversations for standpoint checks, well-founded assessment of ad hoc topics (investment offers, purchase enquiries, valuation questions), preparation of major shareholder or board decisions. Without mandate pressure, without hidden self-interest.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is an M&A advisor worth it?: An M&A advisor is worth it as soon as a decision around sale, succession, investor or acquisition is on the table — even if nothing has been decided yet. The preparation phase decisively shapes the eventual outcome: realistic valuation, clean materials, clear goals. Those who only think of an advisor once a concrete buyer is at the table have usually already given up the biggest lever.
What sets IGCP apart from large firms?: We focus consistently on the DACH region and work independently — without ties to banks, investors or our own funds. Mandates are led at partner level, not passed down. This fits owner-led companies that need a sparring partner on equal footing who shares industry reality and an owner perspective.
How confidential is a first conversation?: A first meeting is strictly confidential and non-binding — confidentiality agreements are signed before any mandate on request. We discuss situation, options and approach without creating any obligation. Discretion is not a selling point in our business, it is a basic requirement.

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If you are looking for an independent assessment of your current situation, get in touch without obligation.

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