XdC · Diez de Cambournac
Preparing a business sale: whom should you contact and when?
A business sale involves several professions. Start by clarifying your intentions with your existing advisers; then define the roles needed for the transaction and, separately, your personal questions. No single timetable fits every business.
By Diez de Cambournac · Published on
Whom should you approach when selling is only a possibility?
Your accountant and lawyer may be initial contacts for reviewing available information and issues within their scope. Explain whether you are considering a full sale, opening up the shareholding or a gradual succession. Also identify anyone else whose agreement might be needed.
At this stage, the aim is not to circulate a file to buyers. It is to understand what needs preparation and which decisions are yours. Ask how confidentiality should be maintained with employees, customers and partners.
When should a transaction adviser become involved?
When you want to structure a process, clarify the scope of any mandate: preparation, buyer search, discussions and coordination with lawyers. Ask how conflicts of interest, fees, exclusivity and permission to contact third parties are handled.
The professional should propose a timetable based on your circumstances. An initial estimate guarantees neither timing, price nor completion. A letter of intent and final payment are different stages.
Should you wait until the sale to speak with a private bank?
You can prepare a discussion before payment without deciding on an investment in advance. Distinguish expected proceeds from funds actually available, and ask your advisers to review obligations or commitments that may remain. The bank will specify its own onboarding documents.
Keep transaction objectives separate from personal plans: future income, a new business venture or family arrangements. Tax consequences depend in part on the form and context of the sale; the cited Guichet.lu page addresses a specific Luxembourg case, not every transaction.
How can Charles help?
State the country, sector, stage of your thinking and type of contact sought without sending a sensitive file. Charles considers possible introductions and coordinates conversations. He does not value your business, undertake a buyer search under a sale mandate or conduct the transaction.
Sources and references
Sources consulted on 2 October 2026. The institutions cited are documentary references; their mention does not imply a partnership or recommendation.
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This guide prepares a conversation. It is not personalised financial, legal or tax advice.
An initial conversation
It all starts with
a conversation.
Take the time to understand your situation, then identify the relevant professionals together.