BUSINESS SUPPORT SERVICES

PURPOSE BUILT

If there was a strategy designed for support services, it would be buy and build. With companies looking to increase the number of services they offer clients, sometimes in highly fragmented markets, or to expand geographically, the sector is not short of mergers and acquisitions activity.

TEAM TALK

It has long been said that the three most crucial factors in a deal are management, management and management. That is just the case with support services deals, only more so. In this sector, successful businesses are “people” businesses.

MULTINATIONAL SERVICE

Support services businesses can no longer presume to ride the growth curve that has carried the sector so far in recent years, or to rely on an endless stream of lucrative government contracts to ensure their success.

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LATEST ISSUE

Leader

Venture's victory Venture's victory

The European venture capital industry was given a much-needed fillip at the beginning of this month, when two pieces of good news hit the headlines in the UK.

Top Story

Q&A: Mark Wignall Q&A: Mark Wignall

Fresh from a strong 2009, the chief executive of Matrix Private Equity Partners explains why he is a “small is beautiful” man, and contends that the VCT model remains attractive.


Feature

Competitive disadvantage Competitive disadvantage

Some areas of Central and Eastern Europe may have escaped lightly from the economic downturn, but fierce competition for scarce assets could drive up prices in 2010.  


Comment

From Baird to worse From Baird to worse

Much of today’s most important technology was invented by Europeans, but – as with venture – the Americans are best at “monetising” innovation.


News Analysis

Out with the old... Out with the old...

The departure of Atlas may be bad news for European venture, but a variety of smaller operators are lining up to fill the funding gap.




SECTOR REPORTS & SUPPLEMENTS