Strengthening our global network. It is with great pleasure that we welcome to the International Corporate Finance Network the Belgian firm Closing SRL: www.closing.be

Closing is an independent M&A and Corporate Finance advisory firm located in the french speaking part of Belgium. Strategic M&A operations are potentially high added value projects which need careful preparation and dedicated attention throughout their implementation. With a strong entrepreneurial mindset, Closing advises shareholders, enterprises and managers in these transactions, in Belgium and abroad. Closing executes more than a dozen M&A transactions every year. 

Closing´s offices are located in Namur, Liège, Brabant Wallon, Luxembourg Belge and Gosselies.

Strengthening our global network. It is with great pleasure that we welcome to the International Corporate Finance Network the Belgian firm CoTra:

www.cotra.law

CoTra is a dynamic boutique law firm specialized in transactions and corporate law.

The firm has an aggregate (inter)national experience and track record of more than 35 years, with an own pragmatic approach. They assist entrepreneurs, investors, start-ups, growth and established companies and (inter)national groups. CoTra focusses on transactions, corporate law and advisory. Therefore, CoTra joins its forces with our client’s specialist advisers or our trusted specialist partners (e.g. for financial, tax, HR or foreign assistance).

CoTra´s offices are located in Antwerp, Mechelen and Keerbergen.

Strengthening our global network. It is with great pleasure that we welcome to the International Corporate Finance Network the Finnish M&A firm 3J Partners:  https://3j.fi/

3J Partners, independent Corporate Finance advisor focused on Mergers & Acquisitions with wide ranging experience in the field of acquisitions, mergers, buy in and buy out operations, business valuation and debt advisory, advises mid-sized companies on either buy- or sell-side, offering high-quality corporate finance services to their clients while holding themselves to the highest ethical standard, emphasizing trust, open/honest dissemination of information and the resolution of the problems of the different parties. 

3J Partners’ offices are in Helsinki, Hämeenlinna and Jyväskylä. 

Strengthening our global network. It is with great pleasure that we welcome to the International Corporate Finance Network the Danish firm Milner Finance: https://milnerfinance.com/

Sale, acquisition and financing of company – trusted advice​.

Milner Finance is advising executive management and “owner managers” on Mergers & Acquisitions, equity raising, financing, governance and financial risk management issues, based on:​

• More than 25 years of corporate finance experience and strong track record from global mid-market Mergers & Acquisitions.
• Significant insight into strategic change processes and strategy advisory.
• Broad network across sectors and industries in Denmark and the Nordic area.
• Reputation for high level of professional integrity and craftsmanship in all aspects of transactions.
• Experienced, senior, independent, trusted, committed.
• 30 years experience as corporate finance advisor with focus on negotiated M&A, debt finance and strategic issues related to transactions and critical business transformations.
• More than 80 mid-market deals valued between €10m and €1bn closed on five continents globally since early 1990’ies covering a broad range of sectors.
• Soren Milner, CEO at Milner Finance, runs its own business since 2014. Milner Finance has its offices at Charlottenlud, Denmark.

On 23rd May 2022 ICFN members met in Amsterdam for the annual ICFN Global Summit. For the first time since the outbreak of the corona pandemic members were able to meet again in person to talk about cross-border opportunities and exchange thoughts on the current situation in the various M&A markets. Members unanimously confirmed high levels of activity with so far little to no impact from the war in the Ukraine nor from supply chain disruptions in the wake of the pandemic and ongoing lockdowns. Inflation is an issue in most member countries as is a continuous lack of human resources especially in the technology sector. However, strong demand from strategic and financial investors with high volumes of cash looking to be invested are driving valuations which remain at a very high level.

In an online session, ICFN members shared their insights with clients and friends. The online event also included an interview with Peter Dorfner, Principal at the Green Generation Fund, a new Berlin-based early stage impact fund backing the Seed and Series A funding rounds of European and American Food Tech and Green Tech startups. Peter Dorfner talked about challenges in foreign market deal sourcing, the role of intermediaries and their impact on transaction efficiency and price setting as well as on how to leverage strategic synergies in an international context.

The German M&A market has seen a very positive start into 2022 with strong/record M&A activity expected both from strategic as well as from private equity investors. The war in Ukraine has now led to new risks for the German economy mainly related to high energy prices and new/additional supply side constraints.

Strategic M&A deals do not seem to be questioned by uncertainties related to the war and inflation fears as do interesting deals led by private equity investors with huge amounts of liquidity. Deals involving assets in/linked to Russia and the Ukraine will be difficult to handle. In general, market participants remain very positive and are reporting strong deal pipelines. Valuations for small and mid-cap companies which had stagnated at a high level in the past months have recently seen a small increase. This is especially the case for small cap transactions in the technology sector.

Besides supply chain disruptions and high energy prices the labour market – with shortages in skilled workforce „supplies“ – remains a limiting factor for growth.

Post by Dr. Sonja Legtmann, EXG CONSULTING

After a difficult 2020 that marked a reduction in M & A transactions from 1,085 (in 2019) to 830, for a transaction volume, which went down from 52.4 billion in 2019 to 34.5 billion in 2020, and with just 200 investment transactions by foreign entities (600 in 2019) for a transaction volume of 6 billion (18 in 2019), already from the first half of 2021 there has been a strong performance in the Italian market.