CGPH Banque d’affaires
Cross-border strategy context — CGPH Banque d’affaires strategic & corporate advisory
Strategic Consultancy & Corporate Advisory

Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory

Advisory on sell-side and buy-side M&A mandates — strategy, target/buyer preparation, valuation, process design, materials, outreach, due diligence, negotiations, financing, signing/closing and transition.

Positioning

Our approach.

We advise on M&A transactions on both sell-side and buy-side. Our contribution spans strategic framing, target or buyer preparation, valuation analysis, process design and marketing materials, curated outreach, due-diligence coordination, negotiation support, financing coordination, signing and closing, and transition planning. Legal instruments, formal legal or tax opinions and regulated activities are handled by qualified counsel and, where relevant, by licensed counterparties.

An M&A transaction is measured on three dimensions at the same time: strategic fit, value achieved and execution discipline. Preparation is the point where all three are established. A carefully prepared process defends value in negotiation, reduces execution risk and shortens the interval between signing and closing.

Sell-side and buy-side mandates share the same disciplines but require different postures. On sell-side, we prepare the target, structure the process and lead outreach on the sponsor’s behalf. On buy-side, we prepare the acquirer, refine the acquisition thesis, source targets and coordinate diligence and negotiation. In both cases, we coordinate the qualified counsel and specialists responsible for legal, tax, financial and technical workstreams.

Detailed scope

Our engagements typically cover strategy and preparation, valuation and financial analysis, process design and marketing materials, curated outreach, due-diligence coordination, negotiation support, financing coordination and transition planning through to signing and closing.

Who this is for
  • Corporates and shareholders considering a disposal or acquisition.
  • Founders preparing a strategic exit.
  • Sponsors executing portfolio transactions.
  • Family businesses preparing generational or strategic transitions.
Common situations
  • Sell-side process

    A shareholder or sponsor is preparing a disposal and requires a structured sell-side process with prepared materials and a curated buyer universe.

  • Buy-side mandate

    An acquirer is refining an acquisition thesis and wants a coordinated sourcing, diligence and negotiation approach.

  • Cross-border transaction

    A cross-border transaction requires coordination of qualified advisers, financing counterparties and jurisdictional workstreams under one calendar.

Engagement profile
Scale
Mid-market European M&A mandates, sell-side and buy-side.
Timing
Typically several months from mandate to signing, with additional time to closing depending on conditions precedent.
Geography
Cross-border European mandates with recurring corridors between France, Italy, Luxembourg and the UK; selective transatlantic and MENA counterparties.
What we advise and structure
  • Sell-side and buy-side advisory.
  • Valuation, financial analysis and equity story.
  • Process design and marketing materials.
  • Curated outreach to targets or buyers.
  • Due-diligence and financing coordination.
  • Negotiation support, signing, closing and transition planning.
  • Mandate segmentation across sell-side (full or partial disposal, carve-out, secondary sale), buy-side (bolt-on, platform acquisition, cross-border consolidation) and structured situations (dual-track, minority investment, family transition).
Our process
  1. 01
    Frame

    We frame the strategic rationale, perimeter, valuation approach and target audience.

  2. 02
    Prepare

    We prepare valuation analysis, marketing materials and the transaction process design.

  3. 03
    Engage

    We engage a curated list of counterparties under confidentiality and coordinate the diligence dialogue.

  4. 04
    Negotiate

    We support negotiation on price, structure, warranties and conditions with qualified counsel.

  5. 05
    Close and transition

    We coordinate signing, satisfaction of conditions, closing and transition planning through to handover.

Strategic contribution
  • Prepared to defend value

    The transaction is prepared to defend value throughout negotiation and diligence.

  • Reduced execution risk

    Coordination across workstreams reduces friction at signing and closing.

  • Consistent narrative

    Materials, diligence responses and negotiation posture stay consistent across the process.

Cross-disciplinary coordination
  • Legal

    Qualified counsel drafts and negotiates transaction documentation, warranties and conditions.

  • Tax and audit

    Qualified tax advisers and auditors handle tax structuring, opinions and financial diligence.

  • Financing

    Where financing is required, we coordinate identified banks, funds and investors acting within their regulated capacity.

  • Technical and commercial

    Independent experts perform technical and commercial diligence where the transaction requires it.

Why CGPH
  • Sell-side and buy-side experience

    We combine sell-side and buy-side experience in a single team, sharpening posture in each mandate.

  • Single senior mandate lead

    One senior team owns the client relationship, the counterparty dialogue and the closing calendar.

  • Cross-border coordination habit

    Cross-border transactions benefit from our habit of aligning qualified advisers and financing counterparties across jurisdictions.

When we’re a fit
We are a fit when
  • Owners preparing a controlled sale of an established business.
  • Corporates executing bolt-on or strategic acquisitions.
  • Shareholders needing structured liquidity within an institutional framework.
Less suited when
  • Distressed asset fire-sales without a viable process.
  • Micro-cap transactions without institutional readiness.
  • Transactions requiring listed-market execution.
Key considerations
  • Valuation, diligence findings and final terms are defined by the parties, their qualified advisers and the definitive documentation.
  • Legal, tax, audit and regulated execution is performed by qualified counsel and licensed counterparties acting within their regulated capacity.
Frequently asked questions
Do you advise on both sides of a transaction?
We advise on sell-side or buy-side mandates individually, applying our experience on both sides to strengthen each posture.
How is valuation approached?
We approach valuation with multiple methodologies and reference points, and articulate defensible ranges anchored on evidence.
How do you preserve confidentiality?
Outreach is conducted under structured confidentiality with a curated list of counterparties and staged information disclosure.
How is financing coordinated?
Where an acquirer requires financing, we coordinate identified banks, funds and investors and align their calendar with the transaction timetable.