Entrepreneurs
create value
We strive for continuous growth – both organically
and through acquisitions – within our buy-and-build approach.
We pay thoughtful attention to the question of brand strategy.
Equity holdings and takeovers in the German financial services sector have traditionally been conducted purely for strategic reasons by competitors in the same industry. Frequently the acquiring company then determined the general orientation of the enterprise taken over, thus stripping the new “subsidiary” of its independent profile. It is precisely for this reason, however, that many corporate acquisitions in the financial services sector have proved to be poor business investments. Two key cornerstones of success were disregarded: a separate identity or brand and the greatest possible independence of the acquired enterprise.
How we differ is that we continue to run the business under its brand name. We make sure that the customer focus is retained even after a majority takeover. That enables us to safeguard those elements that largely determine the value of a financial services enterprise: its staff and its brand name. Each company continues to pursue its own, specific business model and enjoys autonomy on the market. The synergies existing in the group as a whole are of course enhanced, particularly in back office operations and in information technology. This multi-brand strategy thus ensures the smooth integration of a newly acquired company into our group.
