Deal & People. Transactions need leadership.
M&A advisory and M&A recruiting for family businesses – from a single source, closely coordinated.
M&A advisory for family businesses covers structured support for company acquisitions, company sales and equity investments, with a particular focus on ownership logic, values and legacy. This is complemented by M&A recruiting: filling leadership and key roles during transaction and integration phases through targeted executive search.
As a specialised M&A headhunter, Headgate combines both disciplines. Whether a company sale, an acquisition or filling leadership positions during post-merger integration: we support family businesses and hidden champions in the DACH region and internationally with clear process management, a high degree of discretion and a deep understanding of the perspective of owner families and advisory boards.
On request, we seamlessly interlink M&A advisory and executive recruiting, because transactions rarely fail because of the valuation, but because of the people who implement them.
Not all M&A is the same – two services, one specialisation
In company transactions within family businesses, there are two fundamentally different tasks that are often confused with one another. They require different methodologies and expertise, yet can still be closely interlinked – for example when a company sale also requires new leadership roles:
M&A advisory
Finding the right buyer, investor or business successor, or identifying the right acquisition target. Structured, discreet and with an eye on values and long-term fit. Methodology: structured transaction support from the initial assessment through to closing.
M&A recruiting
Attracting the right leadership personalities for deal and integration phases – quickly, reliably and with stakeholder alignment. Methodology: executive search for family businesses with a transaction focus.
M&A advisory – company acquisitions and sales with structure, discretion and a focus on values
Transfers of ownership are always about responsibility as well as figures: for employees, culture and a life’s work. In family businesses in particular, crucial questions arise: Which type of buyer or investor is genuinely the right fit? What will happen to the employees, the culture, the life’s work?
Headgate supports you from preparation through to closing – in a structured, discreet way and with a deep understanding of the owner family’s perspective.
Our M&A advisory services:
Sell side: We take care of initiating contacts and marketing your company, so that you can choose from as many qualified buyers as possible. Using video content, we convey your company’s individual story authentically and build trust before the first conversation takes place.
Buy side: Transactions often fail because sellers mistrust the intentions of potential buyers. Through a targeted initial approach, personal video messages and structured matching of both parties’ values, we build trust step by step.
M&A recruiting – filling leadership roles in transaction and integration phases quickly and reliably
In deal and PMI phases, both count: speed and quality. Poor appointments to key roles can jeopardise transactions, slow down integrations and cause cultural rifts. As an M&A headhunter, we fill C-level positions and key roles during transaction phases, without compromising on fit or stakeholder alignment.
Typical roles in M&A recruiting:
What we safeguard in M&A recruiting:
24-month guarantee – in M&A recruiting too
Leadership appointments during transaction phases are under particular pressure: tight timelines, high expectations, complex stakeholder constellations. All the more important that the appointment lasts. Under clearly defined conditions, if an appointee leaves prematurely within 24 months, we will fill the position again once, free of charge. Very few executive headhunters in the DACH region offer this guarantee as standard. We set out the details transparently in our proposal.
When both come together – deal & people from a single source
On request, we seamlessly interlink M&A advisory and M&A recruiting, with a joint communication strategy and coordinated timing. Typical combination scenarios:
Especially when transfers of ownership and leadership coincide, you need a partner who understands and manages both sides. Instead of coordinating two service providers, at Headgate you get one end-to-end process, one dedicated team of contacts and an integrated strategy.
The Headgate formula for success – lower risk, greater transaction success
M&A processes are complex – on the advisory side as well as on the recruiting side. Our formula for success combines cultural understanding, broad market access and aptitude assessment in such a way that decisions stand the test of time, even in dynamic transaction phases.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about M&A advisory and M&A recruiting
M&A advisory supports the acquisition or sale of a company, from the initial assessment through to closing. M&A recruiting fills leadership and key roles in deal and integration phases through executive search. Both can be combined on request.
For large family businesses and hidden champions in the DACH region for which discretion, a focus on values and structured process management are crucial – whether for a company sale, an acquisition or an equity investment.
Through anonymised information in the early phases, controlled communication channels, coordinated approval processes and close support for both parties, so that neither the brand nor internal structures are put at risk. On the recruiting side, we work with a confidential search in executive search where required.
Typical roles are CEO, CFO, COO, integration manager, head of HR, CTO and other key roles depending on the transaction context. We focus on the top three leadership levels.
An average of 9 to 12 weeks from project start to your preferred candidate. Even in dynamic transaction phases, we work with a clear rhythm and a realistic timeline. The first profiles often arrive within 14 days.
We clarify roles, expectations and decision-making paths at an early stage and moderate the process so that the owner family, the advisory board and management develop a shared vision. This reduces friction and speeds up decisions.
Yes. Especially when transactions require new leadership roles at the same time, we seamlessly interlink both services. This is our “Deal & People” approach: one integrated strategy instead of two separate processes.
In a confidential initial consultation, we clarify objectives, type of process, discretion requirements and timeline – free of charge and with no obligation. Find out more about our entire executive recruiting offering and our methodology.
In 15 minutes, you will know which M&A route is the right one
No pitch, no sales talk. Together, we clarify whether M&A advisory, M&A recruiting or a combination of both is the right solution for your situation. Open, confidential and with no obligation. Headgate is your C-suite headhunter for executives, specialising in M&A in family businesses.