PROGRAM
CEO by Acquisition
Acquire a company. Run it. Own 49%. Zero personal collateral.
Pricing tailored to your project
WHAT YOU GET
Concrete benefits — line by line.
Sourcing you could not do alone
Finding a clean LBO target (positive EBITDA, no over-dependence on a single client, motivated seller, fair valuation) takes 6 to 18 months solo, with no guarantee of success. Hetmos industrializes sourcing through proprietary databases, 14 offices and 75 M&A consultants. You don't search — you choose.
M&A negotiation handled by professionals
Negotiating an SMB acquisition alone, against a seller assisted by their accountant and lawyer, is structurally unfavorable. An external M&A firm would charge a significant share of transaction value. Hetmos handles negotiation: defensive valuation, conditions structuring, calendar steering. You get a senior M&A team without the direct cost.
Funding dossier built and presented to banks
Building an LBO dossier is a technical exercise: adjusted P&L, debt repayment plan, exploitation forecast, profile-sector adequacy. A badly built file is systematically refused. Hetmos builds the file in-house (Stéphane Cléon CPA, Nadjet Mahfouf audit) and presents it to banking partners via OBSP agreements. Past fundraising proof is annexed to your contract on day one.
Profile-vertical match that makes your file bankable
No bank funds an LBO if the buyer has no defendable sector experience. A former BTP sales director cannot acquire a consulting firm in aerospace rockets and get credit. Hetmos embeds this criterion from selection: the chosen vertical must be coherent with your background. Each file is presentable before a credit committee.
Full operational governance, no personal equity
You take 49% of equity and 100% of operational governance: hiring, sales, P&L steering, daily strategy. Hetmos does not interfere with management decisions. In exchange, you commit to three things: respect Hetmos processes, refer cross-vertical clients to the group, and integrate group services in your offering.
Mutualized commercial firepower
Hetmos operates 14 offices worldwide and 75 M&A consultants. These commercial resources are immediately available to develop your vertical. You don't land in an isolated company — you land in a group with a commercial engine already running.
Massive negotiation discounts via group scale
When Hetmos integrates a new vertical and negotiates an acquisition, the group brings an immediate client base and instant distribution capacity. This justifies significant valuation discounts. A company valued at 5x EBITDA in classic sale can be negotiated at 3.5x if the buyer can triple its revenue within 24 months. Hetmos brings this argument. You benefit from a lower entry price — therefore a more solid LBO.
Integrated service ecosystem
From acquisition, you tap the group's verticals: accounting (Rodolphe Cadio), financial audit (Nadjet Mahfouf), AI automation (Digitallia via Eddy Marie-Louise), certified training (Nouvelles Donnes via Tom Josse), R&D tax credits (Michael Safar), transition management (Maxime Tran). These services are available at preferential rates for portfolio companies.
Privileged access to capital markets
Hetmos welcomed Christian Finan, holder of an Euronext authorization. The group can therefore accompany portfolio companies on IPO operations or listings on regulated markets. A buyer who develops strongly disposes of a structured exit on a 3–5 year horizon. Hetcap and the upcoming second PE fund (Kevin Lauwick-Braumeister) constitute alternative financing sources to accelerate post-acquisition growth.
Transparent and unattackable contract
Unlike most market players, Hetmos explicitly displays in the contract: its commission on debt, the detail of its intervention, proof of past fundraises, and the exact terms of governance sharing. No hidden fees, no role ambiguity. This transparency is itself a selling argument: you know exactly what you pay, why, and what you receive in return.
VERTICALS
Verticals to start from.
A few M&A-pole positions often open to new operators.
M&A Generalist (SMB)
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M&A Sectoral — Retail & Distribution
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M&A Sectoral — Agrifood
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M&A Sectoral — Energy & Utilities
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FREQUENTLY ASKED
What candidates ask.
- Do I need prior M&A or LBO experience?
- No. Hetmos selects a vertical that makes your profile bankable and surrounds you with a senior M&A team. Your ability to operate a company matters more than a prior deal track record.
- What exactly do I own and control?
- You hold 49% of equity and full operational governance — hiring, sales, P&L steering and daily strategy. Hetmos does not interfere in management decisions.
- Is any personal collateral required?
- No personal collateral. The financing is structured around the target company's own fundamentals, not a personal guarantee.
- How does Hetmos shorten the path to taking the helm?
- Hetmos industrialises sourcing through proprietary databases, 14 offices and 75 M&A consultants, and handles negotiation and the financing file — so you choose a target rather than spend months searching alone.