[Harm Joosse]

With aging population in Western Europe and other parts of the world, there is a flood of owner-managed small and medium sized business that are looking for a new owner. The owner wants to retire, enjoy their grandkids and restart their live with their second or third partner and does not want to be involved in the business anymore.
What key risks do you see from an integration perspective when acquiring such a business?

[Alicia]

I think one of the biggest integration risks is the dependency on the owner. A lot of customer relationships, know-how and decision-making may be tied to one person, so the challenge is not only replacing the owner but making sure that this knowledge and trust are transferred before they leave.

[Author]

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