Corporate intelligence

Corporate intelligence refers to the legal collection, analysis and use of publicly available information about a company, its management, competitors and environment, for strategic decision-making purposes. In M&A, corporate intelligence complements financial due diligence with a reputational and strategic dimension: integrity due diligence on the target and its shareholders, verification of disclosed information, and detection of operational or legal risks not visible in financial statements.

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Its toolbox relies on open-source intelligence (OSINT): commercial registers (RCS in France, Zefix in Switzerland), litigation and insolvency databases, press archives, sanctions and politically exposed person lists, beneficial ownership registers and professional networks. Typical deliverables include a background check on key executives, identification of ultimate beneficial owners (UBO) for KYC purposes, and red flag screening for corruption, money laundering or undisclosed conflicts of interest, all conducted within legal and data protection boundaries.

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In an M&A process, corporate intelligence typically intervenes at two stages: before the LOI, to qualify a target or counterparty at limited cost, and during confirmatory due diligence, to corroborate management representations and calibrate warranty protections in the SPA.

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Example: before engaging in negotiations to acquire a Swiss competitor valued at CHF 30.0 million, an industrial buyer commissions a corporate intelligence review. The analysis surfaces undisclosed labour tensions, an ongoing commercial dispute with a major client and a tax audit in final stages: information that leads to a price adjustment and strengthened warranty provisions in the SPA.

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Hectelion integrates corporate intelligence into its holistic due diligence approach to identify risks not visible in financial statements.