Corporate transactions are complex, counterparties are experienced — and one wrong move can cost millions. IFAMD Services structures the process so that you are always one step ahead.
Schedule a Conversation
Whether you are buying or selling — these challenges arise in almost every deal and ultimately determine the price.
Business values are based on forecasts, synergies, and external factors — no one knows the future. Those who ignore this pay too much or sell too cheaply.
Different bidders structure their offers in completely different ways: liabilities, employee guarantees, patent rights, variable purchase price components. A direct comparison is nearly impossible without a system.
A German proverb goes: "Capital is a shy deer". It means: Pointing to competitors too early or too directly risks scaring off potential buyers. And yet the impression of competition must remain perceptible.
Investment banks are indispensable for marketing. But in the price negotiation itself, the long-term relationship with the counterpart often plays a role for them as well.
The core of our work is anticipation: we think through in advance how counterparties will react to certain moves — and design the process accordingly. This turns surprises into the exception, not the rule.
At the same time, we formalise the internal decision-making process — so that all stakeholders decide on the same basis and no valuable time is lost through internal alignment loops.
Aggressive offers sound tempting — but often conceal significant risk for the seller. A concrete example shows what this looks like in practice.
A startup was up for sale. The founder was still active as managing director. A private equity investor offered a high variable component tied to profits over the first three years — and thus became the preferred exclusive negotiating partner.
The transaction was completed. But then the hoped-for success failed to materialise — due to external factors that neither the buyer nor the founder could influence.
The result: for the founder, the failure was far more painful than for the investor. With the variable compensation structure, the PE firm had elegantly shifted the risk of an overly high purchase price onto the seller.
Speak with Dr. Gregor Berz — the founder of IFAMD — about your specific situation. Whether buying or selling: IFAMD Services will show you where structured negotiation preparation makes the greatest difference for you. Dr. Gregor Berz is then happy to take over as lead negotiator.
Get in TouchInstitut für Angewandtes Mechanism Design (IFAMD) GmbH · Munich