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Protecting the business when relationships between business partners or leaders become strained.

Running a business together requires the ability to make decisions collectively, maintain trust and share a common vision. When disagreements accumulate, communication deteriorates, or a personal conflict begins to affect decision-making and the way the business operates, it can become difficult to find common ground on your own.

Mediation can also be considered before a relationship breaks down, to address underlying issues and clarify the situation before it becomes irreversible.

When should you involve a mediator ?

  • Deep disagreements between business partners

  • Conflict between co-directors

  • Breakdown or deterioration of communication between business partners

  • Disagreements over governance or the allocation of responsibilities

  • Tensions relating to the allocation of equity, roles, etc.

  • Conflict between family members involved in the business

  • Difficulties relating to a business succession or the transition to new leadership

  • Plans for a partner to separate or exit the business

In a business, disagreements between partners are rarely purely technical. Behind differences over a decision, remuneration, strategy or the allocation of responsibilities, there may be deeper issues involving trust, recognition, legitimacy or each person’s role within the business.

Mediation does not preclude seeking advice from your professional advisers. Partners and business leaders can, of course, be supported by their lawyers, accountants or other professional advisers. Mediation provides an additional space to address the conflict and work towards a mutually acceptable solution.

Mediation between business leaders and partners

When conflict goes beyond a simple professional disagreement

Family businesses and succession

Advantage

Mediation can provide a space for dialogue to address these issues before they jeopardise the succession process or the continued operation of the business.

The transfer of a business is often a particularly sensitive period. The transition from one generation to the next can raise questions of power, legitimacy, recognition and each person’s role within the business.

Family relationships can then become intertwined with professional relationships.

Mediation can help support, in particular :

  • intergenerational succession

  • relationships between parents and children who are business partners

  • disagreements between siblings

  • the respective roles of different family members within the business

  • the allocation of responsibilities following a succession

  • interpersonal difficulties arising around a business sale or takeover project

How does mediation work ?

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An initial discussion

Individual meetings

Collective meetings

Exploring solutions

Working together to find practical solutions.

When the parties reach an agreement, it can be formalised in accordance with the terms they have agreed upon.

An initial meeting helps to understand the situation, its context, and the steps that have already been taken.

Once mediation has been initiated, I meet individually with each person involved.

These confidential meetings give everyone the opportunity to share their perspective on the situation, their difficulties and their expectations.

The participants are then brought together in a safe and structured space for dialogue.

My role is to facilitate communication, ensure an impartial framework and create the conditions for everyone to be heard.

Fees

Mediation fees are determined based on the number of participants and the format of the mediation. A proposal outlining the terms of the intervention and the applicable fees is provided in advance.

As a general indication, a mediation involving two participants may typically include an individual meeting with each participant, followed by one or more joint sessions.