Mergers and acquisitions advisory

Approach and deliverables

We map the commercial objective to a share acquisition, business transfer or scheme-based structure. Each option can change which liabilities, contracts, permissions and tax questions need attention.

The assignment can produce a structure comparison, diligence workplan and closing dependency register. Tax, legal, valuation, competition and foreign-exchange advisers are brought into the relevant decisions.

1. Define the commercial objective and the proposed acquisition perimeter.
2. Identify structural alternatives and the questions requiring specialist analysis.
3. Coordinate diligence findings, commercial decisions and document dependencies.
4. Track completion conditions and assign post-closing responsibilities.

The workplan should identify who decides each issue and what evidence is needed. An unresolved diligence finding should remain visible when the transaction timetable changes.

Information to prepare

• Buyer and target structure
• Transaction perimeter and commercial objectives
• Financial information and material obligations
• Proposed timetable and key conditions

Describe what the buyer needs to operate on completion, including staff, customer relationships, systems and premises. Identify shared assets or services outside the proposed perimeter. Separate confirmed funding and agreed conditions from assumptions used in the initial proposal.

A practical example

Buying shares preserves the target entity but does not remove its historical liabilities. Buying selected assets creates different transfer and consent questions. Compare those consequences before settling the structure.

For a selected-asset purchase, an important customer contract may sit outside the asset list or require a separate arrangement. Record that dependency early and assign its assessment. A structure comparison is useful only when it connects the legal form to what the buyer actually needs to run the business.

Scope and responsibilities

We do not guarantee financing, regulatory consent or deal completion. Brokerage, investment advice and regulated transaction roles are not assumed within an administrative coordination engagement.

The engagement letter records the workstreams included, client decisions and external professional costs. New transaction steps or material changes are assessed before the scope is extended.

The handover can include the structure decision record, workstream tracker, closing evidence index and unresolved actions. Commercial acceptance of risk remains a client decision informed by the relevant advice. Specialist opinions, negotiations and additional transaction stages are identified expressly in the mandate.