Entering a new market, expanding geographically or adding specialist capability may involve acquiring an established business. Finding the right business, and establishing whether its owners would consider a conversation, requires focused research and a carefully managed approach.
Imperium Commodity Search helps buyers identify relevant commodity trading, brokerage and related businesses against an agreed acquisition brief. We map the market, investigate potential strategic fit and approach selected owners or decision-makers discreetly, including businesses that are not publicly offered for sale.
You may already have a target in mind or need us to identify companies with the product coverage, geographic presence, expertise or operating capability you want to acquire. We establish initial interest and facilitate introductions where both parties see a basis for discussion.
As opportunities progress, your appointed corporate finance, legal and other professional advisers lead valuation, due diligence and transaction execution.
A useful acquisition search starts with clear criteria. We agree the business characteristics that matter, map the relevant market and prioritise companies for further investigation. The example below shows how changing the brief changes which businesses warrant attention.
From market landscape to research priorities
Change the brief to see the focus change
Illustrative buyer brief
Prioritise businesses with relevant product coverage and a trading or brokerage model that complements your existing operation.
Illustrative buyer brief
Prioritise an existing Singapore operation, then investigate its product focus, people and resources against the proposed expansion.
Illustrative buyer brief
Prioritise freight brokerage or analytical expertise, then investigate which businesses could complement the services you want to offer.
Illustrative market landscape
12 business profiles
A
London
B
Singapore
C
Geneva
D
Singapore
E
Singapore
F
London
G
Rotterdam
H
Dubai
I
Houston
J
London
K
São Paulo
L
Geneva
Highlighted businesses warrant further research
Explore the research priorities
Fictional business profiles, not live opportunities. Owner interest is established separately.
A business can match your acquisition criteria without its owners having considered a sale. Understanding whether a conversation is possible is a separate task from identifying strategic fit.
Imperium approaches agreed owners and decision-makers discreetly, presenting the commercial rationale within disclosure parameters established with you beforehand. We explore whether there is interest in a discussion, what circumstances may influence that interest and whether the proposed opportunity warrants further attention.
Where both parties see potential, we facilitate an introduction with the context needed for a productive conversation. You gain a route to relevant businesses beyond publicly marketed opportunities, supported by research and a carefully managed initial approach.
Imperium’s contribution is at the origination stage: identifying relevant acquisition targets, understanding their strategic relevance and establishing whether owners are open to a conversation. We bring commodity-market knowledge, dedicated research and direct access into the early stages of your acquisition search.
Where discussions progress, your appointed corporate finance, legal, tax and other professional advisers lead valuation, due diligence, transaction structuring and execution. We can remain involved as an intermediary within the agreed mandate, maintaining communication and providing context from the original research and approaches.
The research may also reveal a different route to your objective. Where the capability could move independently of the wider business, a coordinated team move may warrant consideration alongside an acquisition.
Yes. Acquisition research is often particularly useful within a broader brief to build a desk, expand a brokerage or enter a new market. You do not need to decide at the outset that buying a business is the only route.
For example, a search for an established brokerage team could also investigate the acquisition of an introducing broker (IB). We can research relevant teams and businesses in parallel within the agreed mandate, helping you assess where the capability sits and which conversations warrant pursuing.
A buyer seeking brokerage growth may find the required people within an established introducing broker (IB). Its wider business, operating arrangements and client relationships may also be relevant to the objective.
The research helps establish whether the opportunity is primarily about recruiting a group of people or exploring the business behind them. The commercial merits of each route need investigation; the wider business is not automatically the better option.
We research relevant businesses against an agreed growth or acquisition brief, investigate their strategic relevance and approach selected owners or decision-makers confidentially. Our role is to establish initial interest and facilitate introductions where there is a basis for discussion.
The work can cover commodity trading houses, brokerage firms, introducing brokers and related businesses. It can sit alongside team recruitment where both routes are included in the mandate.
Yes. Off-market acquisition research can include businesses that fit your criteria but are not being publicly marketed for sale. We approach agreed targets discreetly to establish whether their owners would consider a conversation. A business being relevant to your brief does not mean its owners are willing to sell.
No. You can bring named targets or a commercial objective, such as expanding a brokerage, adding a product capability or establishing a presence in a new geography. We agree the relevant criteria, map the market and refine the priorities before making agreed approaches.
Before contact, we agree the targets, exclusions, commercial rationale and what may be disclosed about the buyer at each stage. Imperium acts as the intermediary for initial discussions, exploring owner interest before facilitating an introduction where both sides see potential. Existing client relationships and protections are respected.
Our service covers target research, origination, owner approaches and introductions. Your appointed corporate finance, legal, tax and other professional advisers lead valuation, due diligence, transaction structuring and execution. Imperium can remain involved as an intermediary within the agreed mandate as discussions develop.
We work on a retained basis. We agree the commercial objective, research coverage, approach parameters, fees and payment terms before work begins. Where the brief includes both team recruitment and acquisition origination, that scope is defined at the outset.
You can also discuss broadening an existing mandate as the research develops. Any change in scope and commercial terms is agreed before proceeding. Read more about our commodity team moves and trading desk recruitment.
Whether you’re interested in a current search or simply considering your next move, get in touch for a confidential conversation with our team.
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