KPMG conducted a Private Company Survey for 2010 and from a legal perspective we were surprised to find that only 25% of businesses have a succession plan in place covering owners, directors and key executives.

A succession plan includes business strategies and legal contracts to cover business issues that usually include in a partnership deed and a company shareholders deed in the event of:

• death
• divorce
• separation of partners
• sale of the company

If you are part of the 75% who don’t have a succession plan you may leave your business exposed to company dissolution or adverse financial consequences and your family exposed to unnecessary legal battles.

The other statistics in the survey that were related to succession plans were that;

• 75% of businesses were planning new investments over the next twelve months,
• 66% of businesses are interested in offshore expansion,
• and on the other end of the spectrum, 30% of businesses were considering an exit strategy over the next three years, selling to partners, independents or competitors.

How can we help?

We provide clients with succession plans, assistance with international expansion as well as advice on mergers and acquisitions, sales contracts or partnership restructuring.

All of these situations need legal consultation and incorporation into contractual agreements to protect you and your company.

If you would like strategic or legal advice in any of these areas please contact Jarmal Richard at Tel: (03) 9614 4111 or on email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .