SPECIALIST ADVISORY

BDO's worldwide geographic coverage and resources place us in a unique position to manage both local and cross-border assignments. Our professionals have the requisite knowledge, experience, skills and aspiration to provide a wide range of specialist advisory services at the highest standards.

Corporate Finance

A business is faced with various critical decisions at different stages of its growth. For instance, a company well along its way in development may consider bringing its business to new heights through an initial public offering, while mergers and acquisitions may also present sound options to accelerate business growth.

We help our clients plan, execute and integrate transactions in the most efficient manner, both domestically and across markets.

Financial due diligence review

The basic objective of a financial due diligence review is to assist a buyer, investor or lender in assessing a target through investigation and inquiry into relevant events and conditions. By combining the expertise of accountants, tax professionals and business advisers, we go beyond a pure accounting, tax or systems assignment to consider each target from a business perspective.

We can help identify potential issues or "soft spots" that might require re-negotiation of the deal structure or terms of a purchase agreement, placing particular emphasis on areas subject to management judgment or estimates.

Business valuation

In today's ever-changing economic environment, organisations have a pressing need to effectively manage risks, maximise cash flow and make important business and financial decisions. Whatever the business objectives may be behind your need for business valuation services, we have the skills and experience to deliver a thorough and substantiated conclusion.

Business valuation may seem to be all about numbers, but number crunching is only part of the exercise. The real challenge is bringing together business, legal, regulatory and technical understanding to arrive at a valuation that all parties agree is fair to assist you to make an informed decision.

Mergers & acquisitions

Our mergers and acquisitions team handles buy-sell mandates of all sizes by leveraging our extensive database and the international BDO network.

On the buy side, we research and identify suitable targets based on set criteria. We then approach and negotiate on your behalf to ensure you achieve the best deal. Together with our other teams, such as the tax specialists and private equity group, we assist you in structuring and financing the acquisition in the most efficient and effective manner.

On the sell side, our advice focuses on maximising the value of the business on sale. We handhold you throughout the sale process, from discussing your options and evaluating your business, through identifying potential acquirers or investors, to completing the transaction.

Furthermore, our due diligence team can help with all kinds of specialist investigations.

Capital raisings

Raising capital be it debt or equity can be the most difficult task in any business. We assist clients that wish to raise capital by assessing their needs, recommending the appropriate strategy and tapping our wide network of investors, lenders and financial institutions for the required solution.

Restructuring and Insolvency

Business recovery

In the unfortunate event that a business starts under-performing, it is crucial to seek expeditious and constructive advice from experienced professionals to avoid problems spiralling out of control. The business recovery process typically involves devising short-term corrective measures to solve immediate liquidity problems, and either a longer-term strategy to yield substantial and sustainable competitive advantages or an alternative restructuring plan to implement an orderly change of ownership or management.

We can provide an independent appraisal of a troubled company's position, identifying what needs to be done to get the business back on its feet.

Corporate insolvency administration

We have extensive hands-on experience in corporate insolvency work. Our insolvency service directors are registered insolvency practitioners with the Hong Kong Official Receiver's Panels. We are able to act as liquidators for compulsory court appointment or creditors'/members' voluntary winding up. We also assume the role of provisional liquidators or special managers. We seek to maximise returns to all stakeholders by completing the liquidation promptly and efficiently.

Receivership

We are well experienced in handling all kinds of receivership. Where a debenture holder wishes to enforce its security, we provide receivership services to secured creditors under fixed or floating charges. We also act as court-appointed receivers and managers. In all cases, our primary objective is to maximise asset realisations while, wherever possible, keeping the business in operation.

Personal insolvency

We provide a wide range of personal insolvency services including advising on bankruptcy procedures and individual voluntary arrangements, and devising the best solutions for creditors and troubled individuals. While seeking to maximise recoveries to the creditors we also aim at assisting the bankrupt or troubled individuals to tide over the crisis and to resume normality as soon as possible.

Litigation Support

With the complexity of today's litigation, accountants with specialised knowledge and experience can be essential in settling disputes and winning cases. We provide litigation support services in accounting-related and finance-related areas.

We understand the impact of litigation on a business. This is why our team is equipped with the expertise, technical skills and commercial experience to ensure disruptions and costs are kept to a minimum.

Expert witness

Expert witness is often known as opinion or scientific witness and may be called upon to court to submit evidence. The role of expert witnesses in court is to assist the court in understanding various technical issues. The task is highly specialised, entailing extensive research and preparation. Each expert witness is required to prove that he/she is appropriately qualified to act as such. We have the expertise and experience to undertake all types of accounting-related and finance-related assignments.

Matrimonial dispute advisory services

There is a growing trend for engaging qualified accountants' assistance in matrimonial disputes. We are well experienced in analysing complicated and incomplete financial information. With a good understanding and knowledge of the legal process, we are competent in compiling Duxbury calculations, conducting investigations and preparing reports for Financial Dispute Resolution hearing. We also provide accountant support for disputes on trust and family assets as well as valuation on spouse-owned businesses.

Investigation and Forensic Accounting

We take on a wide variety of fraud and financial crime investigation assignments. Our expertise covers a broad range of services including but not limited to:

• Anti-money laundering
• Computer forensic investigation
• Fraud investigation
• Loss of profits and quantum assessment
• Corporate funds and assets tracing
• Claim for professional negligence (liability and resulting in loss)

In dealing with these situations, we offer both proactive and reactive solutions to safeguard the corporation's assets and reputation as well as to prevent future recurrences.

Business Consulting

We have extensive experience in undertaking reviews for a variety of small and medium-sized businesses. An independent business review provides the opportunity for in-depth examination of a business' past performance as well as evaluation of its future financial, strategic and operational plans and potential. Each review is tailored to ensure maximum added value, often acting as the catalyst for positive change.