Jul22493 9. Many organisations default to using divestments - the process of selling part of a company - reactively. However, leading companies are increasingly using them as a strategic tool to sharpen focus, reallocate capital, and unlock value. Sol Advisory is a specialised corporate finance advisory boutique in the Netherlands, with a focus on corporate carve-outs. Following its recognition by EU Business News, Founder and Managing Partner Gosse de Jong shares why addressing carve-out complexity is critical to preserving value and achieving deal confidence. Based in Amsterdam, Sol Advisory is a corporate finance boutique, specialised in corporate carve-outs, alongside technology M&A. It advises corporations, business leaders, shareholders, and investors on complex separation transactions across industries, as well as M&A for technology businesses. Its focus is on strategically important transactions where specialist expertise, senior judgement and personal ownership matter most. This is reflected in its mission of helping clients navigate their most important transactions with confidence. Carve-outs are among the most complex transactions a company can carry out, as they combine corporate strategy, M&A and operational separation. This complexity is compounded by the fact that these disciplines are traditionally handled by separate teams and advisers, despite being fundamentally interdependent. Sol Advisory was founded on the conviction that successful carve-outs require an integrated approach from the outset. Sol Advisory’s integrated approach combines carve-out execution leadership with corporate finance advisory. By aligning separation planning with transaction strategy from the outset, this Dutch specialist advisory boutique helps its clients preserve value, manage complexity and reduce execution uncertainty throughout the transaction. The team behind this approach has more than 100 years of combined experience across renowned multinational advisory firms. Together, they have advised on more than 100 transactions, including 20 complex carve-outs. Gosse told us: “We combine hands-on carve-out leadership with senior-led transaction execution, providing clients with an integrated approach; from corporate portfolio review through to carve-out and divestment completion.” A client Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 83 reflects the high level of client satisfaction and trust Sol Advisory has earned through its advisory work. Underlying its approach is a recurring observation from years of transaction experience. Gosse explained: “Companies rarely lose value because of their divestment strategy. More often, they lose value because of sub-optimal execution or they decide to divest too late.” Consider a common scenario: a business unit is identified as non-core. As a consequence, investment slows, attention shifts elsewhere, key talent and customers leave, and business performance begins to decline. Therefore, by the time a transaction is initiated, the business may already have lost some of its value and strategic optionality. This is why Sol Advisory helps companies consider divestments earlier, enabling them to prepare strategically and transact on their terms, rather than react under pressure. To advance the dialogue on this topic, it recently published a flagship leadership guide, The Hidden Cost of Carve-out Complexity. Its analysis of more than 4,500 European transactions indicates that carveouts trade at a median 11% valuation discount compared with non-carve-out transactions. This highlights the importance of addressing separation complexity, standalone economics and execution uncertainty before buyer engagement. Sol Advisory’s approach is differentiated by its understanding of both the operational realities of separation and the commercial dynamics of M&A. It has built a multidisciplinary team around these capabilities. Gosse added: “Through our integrated approach, we help clients maintain business performance, preserve value, build greater deal confidence, and reduce execution uncertainty.” The same principles of specialist expertise, senior-led execution, and personal ownership also define its technology M&A practice. Looking ahead, Sol Advisory believes divestment capabilities will become increasingly important within corporate strategy. Just as companies have developed sophisticated acquisition capabilities, there is an opportunity to enhance how they identify, prepare and execute divestments. Sol Advisory’s long-term ambition is to become the go-to partner for carve-outs and divestments in the Netherlands. Its belief that organisations should develop their capabilities in this area through regular portfolio reviews and divestment readiness assessment has led to the development of its Divestment Readiness Scan (DRS) as well as the Divestment Readiness Scorecard (DRSC). Gosse explained: “These structured tools help leadership teams assess market readiness, carve-out complexity and define a roadmap before potentially launching a transaction. This complements corporate portfolio reviews and provides greater clarity on strategic opportunities, execution considerations, and facilitates better decision-making.” A commitment to sharing expertise across the Dutch corporate carve-out community has also seen Sol Advisory initiate and co-host the inaugural Corporate Carve-Out Forum 2026 in Amsterdam. The event brought together senior leaders from major Dutch listed and privately owned companies for masterclasses, interactive discussions, and the exchange of practical lessons from complex carve-out transactions. Ultimately, as divestments become an increasingly important part of corporate strategy, the challenge for business leaders is not simply deciding what to sell, but ensuring that strategic intent translates into successful execution. For Sol Advisory, the guiding principle is clear: deal confidence is not a given. It must be engineered. More on Sol Advisory’s corporate carveout advisory practice and research can be found below. Contact: Gosse de Jong Company: Sol Advisory Web Address: https://sol-advisory.com/ Best Specialist M&A Advisory Firm 2026 – Netherlands
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