Steps leading to a successful strategic exit
At the heart of the interesting international strategic investors is Greece, with its business environment now attracting an increasing number of investment schemes from abroad. This is pointed out by Rob Follows, founder and president of STS Capital Partners, an international mergers and acquisition company (M&A) who has managed more than 1,000 transactions totaling more than $ 100 billion.
Rob Follows stresses that Greece has left behind the problems of the previous decade and now appears more stable and attractive to investment. As he points out, the interest of strategic investors focuses on areas such as tourism, innovation and technology – sectors with high growth potential, especially when combined with greater extroversion on the part of Greek businesses. Strong interest is also recorded in the agri -food sector, which has competitive advantages.
For all these reasons, Sts Capital Partners recently signed an exclusive representation agreement in Greece with the Greek business and GPA investment group. The deal was sealed with the presence of Rob Follows and Vince Willis, a STS managing director, in Athens, along with the GPA leadership, led by Anastasios Spanidis, Vassilis Balani and Konstantinos Papazafiropoulos. “This cooperation confirms that Greece now holds a prominent position on the global investment map,” he said.
Follows also place a special emphasis on the distinction between international strategic investors and venture capital. As he explains, strategic investors are not merely seeking capital returns, but are looking for businesses that match their long -term vision, utilizing synergies and building added value over time. This significantly differentiates their strategy from investment funds, which usually focus on short -term investment horizon.
According to him, Sts Capital Partners operates exclusively on the part of the sellers, aiming for acquisitions from strategic investors. As he says, the company follows a model that calls “extraordinary exits”, aiming not only to sell a business but to create long -term value for all parties involved. He began his first company by selling his first company at a price 27 times the EBITDA profits, an experience that was the starting point for the establishment of the STS.
The strategy he proposes includes two key pillars: searching for seling to strategics and linking business success to significance. According to him, the sale of a company is not just the end of a business cycle but an opportunity for rearrangement, new investments and development initiatives that can have a positive impact on both economic and social levels.
At the same time, he emphasizes that the success of a transfer lies not only in the agreement itself, but also in the proper preparation that precedes.
Steps leading to a successful strategic exit
In this context, he points out some basic steps that entrepreneurs must take into account before proceeding to a possible exit:
- Strategic Planning: The preparation process must start long before the transfer decision.
- Determination of goals: It is crucial for the entrepreneur to understand the reasons that lead him to the exit and the goals he wants to achieve.
- Formation of Counselors Group: From legal and taxpayers to CFOS and acquisition experts, the right team is decisive.
- Targeting Buyers Strategic: Finding investors who recognize the real value of the business is a key element of success.
- Transparency in financial data: Pure balance sheets and clear financial analyzes enhance the credibility of the business.
- Evaluation of options: Careful investigation of all alternatives is essential.
- Focus on the footprint: Exit should not be exclusively for the financial result but also the footprint that the businessman wants to leave.
- Design for the future: It is important to map the next step after exit.
“A strategic exit is not just an economic act. It is the culmination of a business course and, at the same time, the starting point of a new capital. ‘ Follows ends.
