Directors and major shareholders

As a director and major shareholder, you bear a lot of responsibility, for your company as well as for your own future. The position of directors and major shareholders has not become any easier in recent years: disruptive technology may affect your business model, global crises are constantly creating new challenges, and laws and regulations are getting stricter. Baker Tilly specialises in taking on the role of ‘trusted adviser’ to directors and major shareholders by not only providing specialised services, but also personal advice and moral support when the going gets tough. With us by your side as your consultant, you can keep a cool head so that even during challenging times you can still spot an opportunity if it arises.

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Strategy

Your company’s environment is in a constant state of flux. Is this the time to invest in new technology? Or should you be reorganising instead? How can you best deal with disruptive new technologies such as AI? Issues like ESG legislation, price increases and disruptions in your supply chain make matters worse. You are constantly faced with difficult decisions. A good consultant can help you with these matters.

Ownership and financing

Not sure whether you can handle everything on your own? We can advise you about whether this is the right time to bring in shareholders, merge or sell, or think about scaling up. What’s more, financing and securing investments these days soon involve large sums of money. Plus the market is moving quickly. How do you know whether you’ll be able to launch your idea on the market quickly enough?

The role of IT

You need insights into your organisation for effective decision-making as a director and major shareholder. Otherwise how will you know whether your goals are achievable? Unfortunately, the IT infrastructure at SMEs is often not set up properly due to a lack of knowledge. We can configure your own information system or help you to set it up, so that you have a good understanding of what is and is not productive, and which business units are actually profitable.

Laws and regulations

A good consultant will make sure that you meet your legal obligations and will keep you abreast of impending changes. New legislation is unfortunately not always a good thing for directors and major shareholders. Moreover, the EU is imposing more and more regulations. Depending on your business, you may be obliged to measure your carbon emissions and overall footprint, which includes carrying out a mandatory ESG audit.

Planning for the future

If you’re a director and major shareholder, there’s no one who can manage your future affairs for you. So think about your business succession in good time: how can you make sure handing over your business goes well? Another issue is that many directors and major shareholders fail to build sufficient security when it comes to their pensions. What can you fall back on? Finally, you don’t want to saddle your next of kin with problems when you die, such a tax debt.

Personnel

Should you be thinking of recruiting more staff, or indeed, reorganising your business? You often have to make decisions about where to deploy your staff. You also need a sound salary structure and good conditions to retain people. We can assist you with payroll, reorganisations, a staffing strategy, leadership, recruitment and HR policies, and take matters like your salary administration and subsidy applications off your hands.

Directors and major shareholders operate in a rapidly changing environment

Digitalisation, robotisation, AI: new technologies can be destructive for directors and major shareholders. An example are sectors, in which AI is starting to partially or fully take over the work. So it’s important to keep abreast of what is going on and what awaits you. Seeking advice can be the answer in this respect: do you need to update or change your strategy in the wake of new developments in your sector? We can bring you up to speed and consult with you to arrive at potential solutions.

Your business model is at risk: what now?

Your business model may collapse for a variety of reasons, putting you in a difficult position as a director and major shareholder. What do you do then? Sell the business, cut back your operations or look for a new niche? The best options depend on your personal situation. If you have to go into liquidation, social welfare is the only official safety net you can fall back on. At Baker Tilly, we understand the business as well as the personal side of being a director and major shareholder: besides advice, we are here to give you moral support when you need it.

Directors and major shareholders and their pensions

As a director and major shareholder, you don’t automatically accrue a pension alongside your state pension benefit. It is important to think about this in time so that you can enjoy the lifestyle you have now in your old age. You can accrue a pension at your company, but if you go bankrupt, you may be left empty-handed. A pension account or annuity are therefore also worth considering. We are happy to explain the pros and cons of the various options.

How do you find enough staff when the jobs market is tight?

The tight jobs market poses a challenge for many SMEs. What should your strategy be for tackling this challenge, and how can you appeal to Gen Z so that they choose your company to work for? Getting staff to commit to your organisation is now more important than ever, but this is often precisely where companies lack insight.

More about personnel