Financial consulting for complex business transactions.

We support CEO's, CFO's, Controller and Treasurers to optimize the structure of their Finance functions thus improving contribution to business. We structure our support to ensure that Finance addresses the challenges of achieving appropriate standards of control, efficient back office opportunities and support to the business through insight and challenge. Recently, the emphasis of Finance has been control and efficiency characterised by a heavy focus on compliance delivered through streamlined back office models. Now, the focus for many has turned to Insight. These three computing priorities will continue to be the challenge for the Finance Function.

Balancing the tension of these demands means keeping an eye on the details, and envisages how to realise the vision.

With the advancement in International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for many of our clients, financial accounting has become a lot more complicated. Future holds more regulations, new requirements, and an increasing compliance burden. As business becomes more global, with new markets opening up seemingly every day, a company's financial accounting must meet global standards.

For all organisations that need high quality accounting advice, MZ has the breadth and depth of knowledge and technical expertise to help. Our financial accounting and accounting technical advice, guidance, and training will help improve the quality of your company's financial reporting.

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) introduce significant changes to the way that accounts must be prepared and presented, requiring a wider range of assets to be valued on an annual basis.

IFRS changes the accounting treatment for acquisitions. All assets, tangible and intangible, from a merger or acquisition now have to be included in the balance sheet of the acquirer at their current market value and are depreciated over their useful economic life.

Goodwill is now tested for impairment annually, and is marked down according to the conclusions of that annual process.

A range of financial assets now also need to be valued under IFRS, including financial instruments and insurance contracts. IFRS requires share options to be valued as they are charged against the profit and loss account on an annual basis.

These considerable changes call for specialist valuation services that both understand the specific accounting implications and the wider commercial context in which those accounting valuations will apply.

MZ valuation services draw on considerable technical and financial specialisation, as well being able to access accounting specialists to deliver integrated advice to our clients.

There is no shortage of options for businesses wishing to raise funds, but selecting the optimal structure is challenging. Raising finance to fund expansion plans means examining a wide range of issues and answering a complex set of questions. The capital markets have a challenging environment and selecting the right location and structure requires considerable insight and experience.

MZ has experience of advising businesses on their fund-raising plans in all markets. Whether through a public or private market, through equity or debt instruments, our experience covers all possible scenarios and our independence means that we focus solely on identifying and structuring the best source of finance for our client.

We have understanding of local markets, and can help clients to negotiate the challenges that may otherwise derail the unprepared. Our networks of contacts and deep relationships with countless sources of finance place us in the best possible position to make sure that our clients get the finance that fits their purposes and helps them meet their goals.

All businesses involved in an acquisition, as buyers or sellers, need to ensure that the financial information they hold is as accurate as possible, not only to prevent paying too much, or in a seller's case receiving too little, but also to ensure that their governance and risk management objectives are met.

From the buyer's perspective the quality of information available about a potential acquisition determines the ultimate success of a transaction. Without ensuring that the financial statements about a business reflect the reality, a deal may deliver less than first impressions suggest.

To ensure an efficient sales process, vendors need to present their financial information to potential buyers as transparently as possible. Independent assessment provides potential buyers with certainty about the business and the nature of its cash flow.

Financial due-diligence can help to identify and focus attention on the factors in the business that will be critical to its future success.

Public company boards' governance responsibilities require them to ensure that all steps possible have been taken to identify any problematic issues in a potential acquisition.

A merger or acquisition can add considerable value to a business, but making sure that each stage of the transaction process, from valuation to negotiation and completion, is successful demands considerable experience and knowledge.

Our services are designed to help our clients reach their strategic goals by identifying and then implementing opportunities to merge with or acquire other businesses.

Many drivers can affect a deal; from regulatory restrictions to tax issues. As the professional services organisation, we can call upon our dedicated specialists to address any specific challenges that may arise.

Funding for large projects, like infrastructure projects, is a complex area, and there are specific challenges involved in creating the appropriate finance structures to manage risks effectively.

Project finance requires multidisciplinary teams. Economists, engineers, accountants and finance specialist all need to work together to ensure that a project achieves its funding objectives.

The long-term nature of project funding dictates specialist knowledge of the many different institutions, both local and international that offer financing in this sector.

If an entity is looking to participate in a Public Private Partnership (PPP), whether from the private sector bidding for a government led project, or from the public sector aiming to create an effective partnership.

MZ can help in this regard as:

• MZ have experienced professionals who have working experience with both governments and private sector bidders.
• We help the public sector develop the right approach to procurement.
• We help private sector partners to get the best out of the process.

A number of different considerations can influence the optimal structure for a deal requiring a balance between the objectives behind the deal and accounting, tax, regulatory and commercial considerations. No two deals are exactly alike and all are developed under unique circumstances. Other factors, such as cross-border elements of a transaction add further complexity.

We advise on a comprehensive range of transactions types including: IPO, PPP, PPM, mergers and demergers, refinancing, securitisation and group reorganisations.

We help clients to identify the principal concerns that will determine the right structure for a transaction.

We can assist with marshalling the complex range of factors including tax, legal, accounting and regulatory issues that will need to be considered together.

We create a feasibility plan to assess the chosen structure and once this is confirmed as the right choice we will provide continuous support throughout implementation.