Global law firm Dentons – in collaboration with global investment firm AB Bernstein, international accountancy and advisory firm PKF O’Connor Davies and M&A firm STS Capital Partners – has launched a new offering to help private business owners develop and implement effective strategies for selling their businesses and preparing for life after exit. Tailored to the specific needs of entrepreneurs and family-owned businesses, Exit⁺ brings solutions beyond legal advice to support clients’ unique needs related to the implementation of their exit plan.

Exit⁺ offers clients access to a multi-disciplinary team of lawyers, M&A advisors, accountants, and wealth management professionals to assist with the design and successful execution of their exit strategy, as well with their personal tax and estate planning and post-exit investment planning and implementation. It encompasses a range of tools, starting with the Exit⁺ Readiness Assessment – a free online self-assessment, based on which the Exit⁺ team will prepare a personalized report evaluating both the company’s and its owners’ level of readiness, and provide recommendations on areas to be addressed in order to prepare for a successful sale. 

“The decision to sell a company that you have worked so hard to build is a difficult one to make. Working with entrepreneurs and family-owned businesses, we have had ample opportunity to understand and assist them with the challenges they face on their road to exit,” commented partner Christopher Rose, Europe Head of the Family Office and High Net Worth practice at Dentons. “As we accompany clients throughout the entire life-cycle of their companies, and help them grow, operate, protect and finance their businesses, it is only natural to also stand by their side when they decide to sell. We are launching Exit⁺ to help them maximize value and avoid costly mistakes by identifying and rectifying potential issues well ahead of the actual sale, as well as plan for life after exit. I am happy to have Alliance Bernstein, PFK O’Connor Davies and STS Capital Partners onboard, as together we form a powerful and extremely experienced team that clients can entrust their businesses to.”

Following the Exit⁺ Readiness Assessment, clients who express an interest in receiving further assistance, can count on the support of a dedicated team to address their specific needs throughout the pre-transaction, transaction, and post- transaction phases. Qualifying companies will also gain access to Exit⁺ Navigator, a “freemium”, value‑added program offered exclusively to Exit⁺ clients, which includes:

• Exit⁺ Advisory Board – a multi-disciplinary team who will advise on evaluating and managing pre-transaction tax and estate planning, preparing for and executing the sale process, and formulating strategies for the management of wealth post-exit.
• Exit⁺ Roadmap – a personalized “to-do list” of recommended action steps aimed at increasing a company’s valuation and ensuring the successful sale of the business, as well as preparing business owners for life after exit.
• Dentons Intelligence⁺ – a dedicated team of data analysts with unparalleled research capabilities, including access to intelligence and data sets on millions of companies to help expand the pool of potential acquirers and identify synergies with shortlisted buyers which may result in a substantially higher sale price.
• Exit⁺ Knowledge Hub - access to a myriad of learning resources, including a complimentary registration to the Exit Academy, a comprehensive online video training course dedicated to entrepreneurs and family-owned businesses to develop, implement and execute effective exit strategies.

Dentons’ Family Office and High Net Worth group, comprised of more than 250 lawyers/professionals worldwide, provides clients a comprehensive approach to the legal and regulatory issues impacting high net worth families and individuals including, exit planning and succession advice, security and privacy guidance, dispute resolution, public and private investment advice, regulatory navigation, real estate expertise, estate planning, tax advice and global mobility solutions. 

Read more: Exit⁺

About Dentons

Dentons is designed to be different. As the world's largest law firm with 20,000 professionals in over 200 locations in more than 80 countries, we can help you grow, protect, operate and finance your business. Our polycentric and purpose-driven approach, together with our commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity and ESG, ensures we challenge the status quo to stay focused on what matters most to you. www.dentons.com

About Bernstein

AB Bernstein is a global investment firm. Fully invested in better outcomes, we serve as our clients’ financial confidante, embracing innovation and independent research to address increasingly complex challenges that extend well beyond wealth management. While some money managers look to add value after a business is sold, we deliver proactive support right from the start by drawing on decades of experience in pre- and post-transaction planning. Connection to our clients, one another, and the communities we serve is what unites us as a global investment and research firm. This cohesiveness fosters collaboration and empowers Bernstein to pursue a common goal—delivering better outcomes.

About PKF O'Connor Davies 

PKF O'Connor Davies is a member of PKF International, a global network of accountancy and advisory firms in over 150 countries. A global reach with a local identity and service. Member firms remain fully independent yet collaborate closely to deliver a wide array of expertise and experience. PKF provides accounting, advisory, administration, tax, valuation and outsourced back office to help clients achieve their business goals and objectives and reporting and regulatory requirements.

About STS Capital Partners

STS Capital Partners is a global M&A firm with offices in 26 cities around the world. STS guides entrepreneurial business owners on their journey to achieving extraordinary exits. By engaging the global universe of identified strategic buyers and focusing on creating a competitive bidding environment amongst them, STS clients achieve maximum valuations and optimal deal structures, creating lasting legacies.