Question 1

What does an M&A advisory firm in the UAE actually do?

Accepted Answer

An M&A advisory firm helps business owners and investors buy or sell businesses, valuing the business, identifying buyers or targets, running a structured process, negotiating terms, and managing the transaction through to closing. Corvian Advisory handles all of this personally, senior-led.

Question 2

How much does M&A advisory cost in the UAE?

Accepted Answer

Full sell-side and buy-side mandates are typically success-fee based. Standalone services such as financial due diligence range AED 20,000–80,000, and valuations from AED 10,000. Every engagement starts with a fixed-scope proposal agreed upfront.

Question 3

How do I sell my business in the UAE or GCC?

Accepted Answer

Start with an independent valuation and pre-sale review, prepare a Confidential Information Memorandum, run a structured outreach to qualified buyers under NDA, negotiate terms, and manage the legal and financial close.

Question 4

What's the difference between a business broker and an M&A advisor?

Accepted Answer

A broker matches buyers and sellers with minimal financial analysis. An M&A advisor provides end-to-end transaction management, valuation, financial due diligence, structured process and negotiation strategy, delivered by our senior CFA, CA and ACCA qualified team.

Question 5

Do I need financial due diligence before buying a business?

Accepted Answer

Yes, without it you are relying entirely on the seller's numbers. FDD covers quality of earnings, working capital, net debt and cash flow sustainability, typically completed in 3–6 weeks.

Question 6

How long does a business sale take in the UAE?

Accepted Answer

A typical mid-market business sale in the UAE takes between 4 and 9 months from initial mandate to closing. The timeline depends on the complexity of the business, buyer identification time, due diligence scope, and negotiation.

Question 7

What is the minimum deal size Corvian Advisory works with?

Accepted Answer

Corvian Advisory focuses on mid-market transactions typically ranging from AED 5 million to AED 500 million in deal value, working with business owners, corporates, family offices and private equity across the GCC, EMEA and APAC corridors.

Question 8

Do you provide M&A advisory in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Corvian Advisory provides full M&A and deal advisory services across all GCC markets — Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman — in addition to cross-border transactions into EMEA and APAC, operating from Dubai.

Question 9

What's the difference between deal advisory and M&A advisory?

Accepted Answer

M&A advisory covers buying or selling a business specifically. Deal advisory is the broader umbrella — M&A, financial due diligence, valuation, and capital raising — supporting a transaction from first conversation through to close. Corvian Advisory provides both under one roof.

Question 10

What is quality of earnings (QoE) and why does it matter?

Accepted Answer

Quality of earnings analysis identifies which parts of a target's reported EBITDA are genuinely recurring versus inflated by one-off items, owner adjustments or accounting choices. It bridges reported profit to a normalised figure a buyer can actually price the deal on — the single most consequential number in any acquisition.

Question 11

How do I raise capital for my business in the UAE?

Accepted Answer

Raising capital in the UAE means approaching GCC family offices, regional private equity and growth investors with a credible investment thesis, financial model and institutional-grade materials. Corvian Advisory advises on equity and debt fundraising from early growth through to pre-IPO rounds across the GCC and EMEA.

Question 12

Can you help with a family business exit or partner buyout in the UAE?

Accepted Answer

Yes — family business exits and partner buyouts are among our most common mandates. We provide an independent valuation of the equity being transacted, advise on deal structure including deferred consideration and earn-outs, and represent you through negotiation so the outcome is defensible to every stakeholder.

Independent M&A Advisory for the UAE & GCC Mid-Market

A boutique firm built for the UAE & GCC mid-market

Big 4 quality. Boutique price.

Buying or selling a business in the UAE? We handle the transaction end to end.

We find it, analyse it, and close it.

We manage the process and protect your value.

Active buy-side & sell-side mandates, live

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Full-lifecycle corporate finance advisory

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Five stages, one senior team throughout

Recent mandates across the GCC

What clients say about working with Corvian

Practitioner guides, not marketing copy

Frequently asked questions about M&A advisory in the UAE & GCC

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