Why shouldn’t succession management be a success? Perhaps the interaction of the previous owner, the buyer and any external investors is not quite right. Many persist in the hope that one or more family members will take over, but the majority need a different solution.

For more than a decade, Dansk Generationsskifte A/S has been a hub for successful succession management – primarily in Danish SMEs that need both a buyer and a new management team.

The managerial and financial aspects of succession management can be a smooth process.

As far as Dansk Generationsskifte is concerned, having full control over the company being taken over is crucial.

The previous owner will usually be given an advisory role, possibly with a continued minor ownership stake and a seat on the board of directors. Dansk Generationsskifte always participates as the majority shareholder together with the new general manager of the company.

The majority shareholder and the general manager must be “in the same boat”. Nevertheless, we like to see the general manager gradually taking over a larger stake in the company, possibly together with the rest of the management team.