Clairfield partner speaks on German middle market at Korean technology conference

30.11.2018

Clairfield partner Andre Wassmann travelled to Korea last month to speak on the importance of the German middle market in M&A at the Global Investment Strategy Forum sponsored by KITIA, the Korea Core Industrial Technology Investment Association. This large annual event sponsored by Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy promotes crossborder acquisitions by Korean industrial companies.

This occasion marked the second time Clairfield International was invited to participate in the KITIA conference. In addition to speeches from international experts, including Andre representing Europe, the conference consisted of interactive meetings with South Korean company leaders. The audience of international businesspeople, mainly from Asia, showed great interest in German manufacturing businesses, particularly in the midmarket segment, an area of focus for Clairfield International. South Korean investors are keen to gain market access and wanted to better understand German market entry possibilities and context on the European continent.

Among the questions Andre addressed in his speech was how German midmarket companies react to Asian investors as they seek new distribution markets, enhancement of intellectual property value, and funding. Andre also highlighted the increase in global M&A in Europe and Asia with European M&A at its second-highest level ever after recovering from political and structural uncertainty in 2016. Investments in tech combined with strong German sectors will drive future European growth.

“Structural pitfalls and cultural differences need to be addressed early on when approaching the German midmarket. Managers have stricter criteria if taking on Asian investors and governments observe transactions more closely to prevent the loss of technological expertise to other countries,” says Andre Wassmann, who is a partner at Clairfield International in Germany specializing in technology. “The complexity of crossborder deals requires advice from a culturally embedded M&A advisor. I was happy to make the case on behalf of the German Mittelstand at the KITIA conference and look forward to developing further work in Asia.”

28.5.2025

Sector dashboards May 2025

Our monthly sector dashboards are out! Our dashboards look at the valuation multiples across seven key sectors, each made up of a number of subsectors. The data takes into account the sale prices of similar companies based on; products, end markets, services, assets classes or other characteristics. The publications include all companies listed on the […]

Read more
28.5.2025

What geopolitical uncertainty means for M&A in Australia?

Over the past six months, global uncertainty has escalated significantly. Trade wars, continued conflicts in Europe and the Middle East and market volatility have dominated our press. The M&A landscape in Australia is not insulated from the effects of these issues.   These issues have introduced a new set of challenges for dealmakers. But amid the […]

Read more
28.5.2025

Celebrating 15 years with Mark Steinhardt

From running shorts to suits and ties, Mark’s built a career defined by endurance, focus and momentum. Joining InterFinancial in 2010, Mark has worked his way up to Executive Director today. Known for being sharp, strategic, and approachable, he’s earned the trust of both clients and colleagues through his ability to solve complex problems and […]

Read more
28.5.2025

Metrics that matter: What tech investors are looking for? (Part 2)

In our last article, we revealed four of the key metrics that investors use to evaluate software businesses. We focused on Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR), ARR Growth Rate, Gross and Net Revenue Retention, and Gross Margin. These indicators are often the first place investors look when assessing the strength and potential of a SaaS or […]

Read more
30.4.2025

Sector dashboards April 2025

Our monthly sector dashboards are out! Our dashboards look at the valuation multiples across seven key sectors, each made up of a number of subsectors. The data takes into account the sale prices of similar companies based on; products, end markets, services, assets classes or other characteristics. The publications include all companies listed on the […]

Read more
30.4.2025

The Australian M&A Outlook 2025

The Australian M&A market has been on a real journey over the last few years, marked by extreme highs, some cautious retreats, and now what feels like a slow and steady return to more stable footing.   After the turbulence of the COVID-19 era, it’s fair to say we’re entering a new chapter, with fresh opportunities […]

Read more
30.4.2025

Metrics that matter: What tech investors are looking for? (Part 1)

If you’re reading this article, you’re probably in a position where you’ve built a great software business. Between endless product and engineering sessions with your teams, customer escalations and sales meetings you’ve probably given some thought, or maybe a lot, about what the next step in your business will be. Most of the time, that […]

Read more
30.4.2025

Employee Q&A: Manisha Kaur

It’s hard to believe it’s already been a year since Manisha Kaur joined the InterFinancial team as our Marketing Coordinator! In just 12 months, she’s brought a fresh perspective, data-driven mindset and a can-do energy to everything she does, from campaigns and branding to behind-the-scenes systems that keep our marketing function a well-oiled machine.   As […]

Read more
31.3.2025

Sector dashboards March 2025

Our monthly sector dashboards are out! Our dashboards look at the valuation multiples across seven key sectors, each made up of a number of subsectors. The data takes into account the sale prices of similar companies based on; products, end markets, services, assets classes or other characteristics. The publications include all companies listed on the […]

Read more