Are you considering selling your business, or seeking investors in your business? Tap into MST Lawyers’ international network of contacts

By John Sier, Principal, MST Lawyers

If transferring or selling your business to family or existing management is not an option for you as part of a business succession, exit or retirement strategy, an alternative may be to seek out an external investor, either to buy your business outright or to co-invest in it.

Co-investing may involve a gradual sell-down to the co-investor over time to help you transition to retirement, or tapping into the co-investor’s management expertise and networks with a view to preparing your business for a trade sale or even an ASX listing.

In these turbulent economic times, Australia’s economic stability and relatively good economic performance makes it an attractive place for overseas investors.  It may therefore make sense for you to seek an offshore buyer or investor, rather than limit your efforts to within Australia.

MST Lawyers is the Australian member of the Law Firm Network, a non-exclusive association of independent law firms with members in 70 countries.  From time to time, we hear of other members of the Network who have clients or contacts looking for business opportunities in Australia.  We are always willing to make enquiries on our clients’ behalf on a ‘no names’ basis through the Law Firm Network and our other overseas contacts to help clients find investors in, or buyers of, their business.  Where an enquiry is met with interest, we can put our client in contact with the offshore party or its representatives, leaving the parties free to explore whether a deal can be done.  This is just another way we can add value to the relationship with our clients.

Before deciding which exit strategy is right for you and your business, we recommend you seek appropriate legal, financial, accounting and taxation advice.  MST Lawyers can help with all legal aspects of business sales and business succession planning.

For more information, please contact John Sier of our Corporate Advisory team by email corporate@mst.com.au or by telephone +61 3 8540 0200.