Capabilities · Mergers and acquisitions
Sell-side Advisory
We advise owners, founders and boards on selling all or part of a business, divesting a division or finding a strategic partner, and we bring Gulf family offices, sovereign-linked investors and regional strategic buyers into the process alongside Western buyers.
The market
Gulf investors increasingly acquire stakes in established Western businesses for the long term, often with fewer constraints on holding period than a traditional fund. For the right business, adding them to a sale process widens the field and can change the outcome.
What we do
Company sales and exits
Running a full sale of a business, from preparation and buyer identification to signing and completion.
Minority and partial stake sales
Selling a minority or majority stake while owners stay invested and involved.
Divestments and carve-outs
Separating and selling a division, subsidiary or portfolio of assets.
Strategic partnerships and joint ventures
Structuring partnerships with Gulf groups that bring capital, market access or both.
Management and shareholder buy-outs
Advising on transactions that change ownership among founders, management and investors.
Exit planning and vendor readiness
Preparing a business and its owners for a sale well before a process begins.
Valuation and strategic alternatives
An independent view of value and of the options available, including whether to sell at all.
Negotiation through to completion
Managing bids, due diligence, documentation and the negotiation of price and terms.
Preparing to sell
The best outcomes start long before a process. We work with owners on the equity story, the numbers, the data room and the issues a buyer will find, so they are addressed on the seller's terms.
Widening the field
We identify Western trade buyers and financial sponsors as well as Gulf family offices, sovereign-linked investors and regional groups, and approach them in a sequence designed to create competitive tension without losing confidentiality.
Running a disciplined process
Clear timetables, consistent information and careful management of every bidder protect value and keep the business running smoothly while the sale is under way.
Beyond the headline price
Deferred consideration, warranties, earn-outs, management arrangements and the buyer's plans for the business all matter. We negotiate the whole package with the owners' priorities in mind.
Considerations
Questions for owners considering a sale
- Whether to sell all, part or none of the business
- Timing against trading performance and market conditions
- The owners' role after completion
- Tax, structure and deferred consideration
- Confidentiality with staff, customers and competitors
Who leads the work
Every mandate is led by a Founding Partner and run by a senior team, supported by our analysts in London, with our Head of GCC Coverage leading investor relationships across the Gulf.
Meet the teamFurther reading
Investor Perspectives
Who allocates Gulf capital: a map of the investor base
A map of the Gulf's investor base, from sovereign funds and state-backed vehicles to family offices, banks and private investors, and how each decides.
Investor Perspectives
State funds and family capital: two different conversations
How Gulf sovereign funds and family offices differ on size, speed, decision-making and expectations, and how a Western business should approach each.
Capital Markets
Structure matters as much as valuation
Headline valuation is the most quoted term in a capital raise and rarely the most consequential one. The structure decides what it is really worth.
Questions
Frequently asked.
Do Gulf investors buy Western businesses outright?
Some do, and many prefer significant minority or majority stakes with management staying in place. We advise on which structure fits the owners' aims and the buyers' appetite.
How do you keep a sale confidential?
Through staged disclosure, non-disclosure agreements, careful selection of approached parties and controlled access to the data room. The fact of a process is treated as confidential throughout.
Can you advise if we are not sure we want to sell?
Yes. Often the most useful work is an honest view of value and alternatives, including a partial sale, a capital raise or waiting.