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Chair
Marco Rizzi

Closely Held and Growing Business Enterprises Committee

The mission of the Closely Held and Growing Business Enterprises Committee is to address issues of particular interest to startups, owner-managed, closely held and family businesses and their legal advisors, and to organisations with ambitions for growth.

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About the Committee

The mission of the Closely Held and Growing Business Enterprises Committee is to address issues of particular interest to start ups, owner-managed, closely held and family businesses and their legal advisors, and to organisations with ambitions for growth.

The committee's aim is to provide a focus for the different needs of ownership, management and financing of such organisations.

Particular focus is placed on:
  • management and ownership issues;
  • finance and the raising of tier one and two capital;
  • shareholder issues and agreements;
  • business succession plans;
  • exit planning;
  • relationships with outside investors;
  • protection of minority interests;
  • dispute monitoring and resolution;
  • the role of professionals in management and advisory roles; and
  • relevant issues arising from tax, employment, real estate, estate planning and family law.

Forthcoming conferences and webinars View All Conferences

IBA Annual Conference Miami 2022

30 Oct - 04 Nov 2022

Miami Beach, USA

IBA Annual Conference 2023

29 Oct - 03 Nov 2023

Paris, France

The next new normal law firm - does it meet clients' needs?

A virtual conference session organised by IBA Closely Held and Growing Business Enterprises Committee and held online on 24 March 2021.

Closely Held 2nd IBA Virtual Entrepreneurship Conference takeaways

From Monday 22 to Friday 25 March 2021, the IBA Closely Held and Growing Business Enterprises Committee held its 2nd IBA Virtual Entrepreneurship Conference on the topic of ‘Innovation and entrepreneurship in the next normal’, with invaluable input from seven IBA sister committees which added to the diversity of the topic.

Earn-outs: a path through pricing uncertainty after Covid-19 or a highway to litigation hell?

Earn-outs are likely to be used more often in European M&A during the post-Covid 19 recovery period. This can lead to disputes. Here, the authors suggest ways in which detailed and unambiguous drafting of earn-out clauses could mitigate disputes.

Virtual M&A transaction and negotiations during Covid-19 era

The Covid-19 pandemic has introduced a new reality and challenges worldwide. Strategic buyers and financial investors are now able to advantage of new opportunities, either in the form of distressed M&A or strategic partnerships and combinations.

Virtual M&A transactions and negotiations – a dream, nightmare or the next normal

Virtual M&A transaction and negotiations – a dream, nightmare or the next normal

Projects and reports

The IBA Guide on Shareholders’ Agreements

The IBA Guide on Shareholders' Agreements, prepared by this Committee, provides practical information on the legal rules on shareholders’ agreements and their application in each contributing jurisdiction. Many of the submissions have been updated (as indicated).

Read more/view

Subcommittees and other groups

The Closely Held and Growing Business Enterprises Committee also coordinates the activities of the following subcommittees/working groups.

  • Closely Held and Growing Business Enterprises Committee Advisory Board