GLZR Group

Region 04 / 04

Sell my business in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa or Asia-Pacific

In brief

GLZR Group connects owners who are selling a business, or thinking about it, with business buyers in the United Kingdom and Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific, including buyers in the U.S. and Canada. As a deal sourcing partner and business acquisition intermediary, we learn what a buyer wants to acquire, speak with owners considering a sale, gather initial information and introduce the parties where there is a potential fit, including across borders. Law, tax, language and currency differ by country, so each introduction is discussed on that country's terms. Some opportunities are off-market. Where the buyer agreement permits it, we also introduce qualifying brokered or banked opportunities. Fees depend on the engagement and are agreed in writing before any work begins.

What we do outside the Americas

Source, qualify, connect.

Sourcing and qualification are conversations with buyers and with sellers. Each introduction is discussed on its own country's terms. GLZR does not buy the businesses it introduces.

IFor sellers

Qualifyinitial

Many owner-operated companies in the region are family-held and have never been widely marketed. We discuss the business, the reason for considering a sale and the timeline. We gather initial information on revenue, earnings, customers, management and owner involvement, and we discuss valuation expectations and transition preferences. That is initial qualification. We do not verify financial statements or complete due diligence. Whether a fee applies depends on how we work together, and it's agreed with you up front. A first conversation costs nothing. Legal, tax and accounting costs of a sale are separate.

What is my business worth?

IIFor buyers

Sourcewe find

We discuss industries, locations, size and acquisition criteria, then capital availability, decision-making and readiness. We agree what counts as a qualifying introduction, and we set confidentiality and fee terms. An introduction may be off-market, or brokered or banked where the buyer agreement permits it.

Price an acquisition

IIIFor both

Connectwe introduce

Where there is a potential fit, we introduce the parties. Buyers, sellers and their advisors handle underwriting, formal valuation, due diligence, financing, documents and closing. It depends on who we're working with and what you want to achieve. We work with buyers and, in some cases, represent owners preparing to sell, and every engagement is agreed in writing before any work begins. Buyers can start with a free 30-day proof of concept, so they see results before they pay. The quickest way to find out what fits is a free 15-minute call. Whether a fee applies depends on how we work together, and it's agreed with you up front. A first conversation costs nothing.

Valuation multiples 2026

Run the numbers

Price it before the first call.

Educational calculators built on 2026 market multiples, adjusted for country risk, with a default business-loan rate for each country. They are not a formal valuation, a financing approval or underwriting by GLZR.

How much is my business worth?

Pick the country, enter last year’s numbers and see the market range. It runs on the same data and code as our business valuation calculator.

GBP
GBP
GBP
What you would pay someone to run it. Buyers use it for businesses valued at $2 million or more, which are priced on EBITDA.

Market estimate

£1.02M – £1.13M

£1.13M

3.05× SDE (U.S. 3.1×, adjusted for United Kingdom country risk) · IBBA band $1M-$2M

SDE £370,000 · EBITDA £260,000

A GLZR Group estimate from public data, not an observed deal price or a formal valuation. It leaves out depreciation, interest and one-off costs (add them in the full calculator), debt, working capital, tax and deal terms. U.S. multiples: IBBA and M&A Source, Market Pulse Q2 2026. Country risk: Damodaran, January 2026. Method: valuation multiples 2026.

BuyersAcquisition calculator Price a target on 2026 multiples and test the financing, coverage and returns.OwnersWhat is my business worth? Build your SDE, see the market range and what a financed buyer can actually pay.DataValuation multiples 2026 Multiples by deal size, deal financing and country-adjusted figures. CSV and JSON.

Definition

What is an off‑market business?

An off-market business is a company whose owner would consider selling but has not listed it with a broker or on a marketplace. Buyers reach it through a direct approach or a trusted introduction, so there is no public listing, no auction, and far fewer people see the numbers.

Off-market does not mean informal. The same diligence, advisers and legal documents apply. What changes is who is in the room, and when.

Off-market sourcing is one part of the work. Where a buyer agreement permits it, GLZR can also introduce a qualifying opportunity that is already with a broker or a bank. Not every introduction is exclusive, unlisted or new to the buyer.

For owners

  • No public listing for employees, customers or competitors to find.
  • You set the pace, including deciding not to sell.
  • Fewer parties see your figures than in a broadly marketed sale.

For buyers

  • A first conversation with the owner, not a broker’s teaser.
  • Less competition than a broadly marketed auction.
  • Companies that match a stated mandate, not a list of everything for sale.

By the numbers

The UK and Europe, in figures.

99.8%

Of the roughly 34 million enterprises in the EU business economy in 2024 were small or medium-sized. They employed 63.5% of its workforce.

Source: Eurostat, Structural business statistics overview

5.7m

UK private-sector businesses at the start of 2025. Small and medium-sized firms were 99.85% of them and employed 60% of the private-sector workforce.

Source: Department for Business and Trade, Business population estimates 2025

c.450k

Firms, with about 2 million employees, estimated to change hands in Europe each year. The estimate dates from 2011 and was repeated in a 2013 evaluation for the European Commission.

Source: European Commission, evaluation of the Communication on Business Transfers, 2013

Figures are from the public sources linked under each one, checked 2 November 2026. They describe the market, not GLZR Group’s own activity.

Coverage

Five regions, from the UK to Australia.

Lisbon to Auckland. Grouped here the way these markets are usually described; the table below sets out the main business language and currency of each major market.

  • The United Kingdom, the 27 member states of the European Union, Switzerland, Norway and the rest of the continent. The euro is the currency of 21 of the 27 EU member states.

  • The Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, and their neighbours from Israel and Jordan to Türkiye.

  • From Morocco and Egypt to Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa, with English, French and Arabic the most common business languages.

  • India, Southeast Asia including Singapore, and East Asia including Japan and South Korea.

  • Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific islands.

Dot map of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Oceania by region
Beyond the AmericasNatural Earth
Major markets: main business language and currency
CountryLanguageCurrencyISO code
United KingdomEnglishPound sterlingGBP
GermanyGermanEuroEUR
FranceFrenchEuroEUR
NetherlandsDutchEuroEUR
SwitzerlandGerman, French, ItalianSwiss francCHF
SwedenSwedishSwedish kronaSEK
PolandPolishZlotyPLN
United Arab EmiratesArabic; English widely used in businessUAE dirhamAED
Saudi ArabiaArabicSaudi riyalSAR
IsraelHebrewNew Israeli shekelILS
South AfricaEnglish, among 12 official languagesRandZAR
NigeriaEnglishNairaNGN
KenyaEnglish, KiswahiliKenyan shillingKES
IndiaHindi, EnglishIndian rupeeINR
SingaporeEnglishSingapore dollarSGD
JapanJapaneseYenJPY
AustraliaEnglishAustralian dollarAUD
New ZealandEnglishNew Zealand dollarNZD

In this market

Established businesses, nine sectors.

Common owner-operated sectors in this market. Buyers name their own criteria. A sector on this list is not a statement that GLZR has a buyer for a business.

  • ManufacturingFabrication, machining, packaging and specialty production.
  • Home servicesHVAC, plumbing, electrical and other residential trades.
  • Construction and contractingGeneral and specialty contractors.
  • Logistics and transportationTrucking, distribution, warehousing and last-mile delivery.
  • Commercial and B2B servicesCleaning, facilities, staffing and other business services.
  • Managed IT servicesManaged service providers and IT support firms.
  • Niche B2B softwareVertical software built for a specific industry.
  • Food and beverageProducers, co-packers and distributors.
  • Main Street businessesEstablished local consumer businesses.

Process

How to sell a business off-market, stage by stage.

Six stages a sale often passes through. Timelines vary, and a conversation with GLZR is not a closing date. GLZR handles sourcing, initial qualification and the introduction. Later stages belong to the parties and their advisors.

  1. A private first conversation

    GLZR speaks with the owner and, separately, with buyers whose criteria may fit. The owner decides what to share and when. An introduction is not a listing, and it is not a commitment to sell.

  2. Fit

    Buyers and their advisors look at how steady the earnings are, how concentrated the customers are, and how much still depends on the owner. GLZR's earlier conversation is initial qualification only. It is not underwriting.

  3. Confidentiality before detail

    Detailed financials, customer names and contracts are typically shared only after a confidentiality agreement is signed, and only with a buyer who fits.

  4. Letter of intent

    A serious buyer sets out price, structure, timing and conditions in a letter of intent.

    In the United Kingdom and much of Europe the letter of intent is often called heads of terms. It is usually not binding on price, but clauses such as confidentiality and exclusivity typically are.

  5. Due diligence

    The buyer checks what it has been told: financial statements, tax filings, contracts, employees, licenses and legal exposure. A quality-of-earnings review by an outside accounting firm is common.

  6. Agreement, closing and transition

    Lawyers turn the letter of intent into a purchase agreement and the deal closes. The owner usually stays on for an agreed transition so customers and staff carry over.

    In civil-law countries, including much of continental Europe, some steps must be completed before a notary. Transferring shares in a German GmbH, for example, requires a notarised deed.

Local rules

Rules for selling a business, country by country.

United Kingdom: security screening and the CMA

Buying more than 25% of a company active in one of 17 sensitive areas, such as defence, energy or data infrastructure, must be approved by the government before it completes. In the year to March 2026 the government reviewed 1,220 notified deals and called in 60 for a closer look. Changes to the list of areas have been announced but are not yet in force.

The Competition and Markets Authority can review a merger when the business being bought has UK turnover above £100 million, or when the combined business would supply 25% or more of something in the UK. Deals where no party has UK turnover above £10 million fall outside its reach.

Source: NSI Act annual report 2025-26 · CMA jurisdiction guidance

European Union: Brussels for the largest deals, national screening for the rest

Only very large mergers go to the European Commission: combined worldwide turnover above €5 billion and more than €250 million in the EU for each of at least two of the companies, or a lower alternative test across three member states. Most owner-operated acquisitions fall far below that.

Foreign investment is screened country by country. A new EU regulation adopted in June 2026 requires every member state to run a screening system, and national rules can apply whatever the size of the deal. Each member state has the last word on deals in its territory.

Source: European Commission, merger procedures · European Commission, investment screening

Gulf: full foreign ownership in the UAE, merger filing in Saudi Arabia

Since 2021, foreign investors can own 100% of a mainland company in the United Arab Emirates, except in activities of strategic impact, such as defence, banking and telecommunications, where ownership can be limited.

In Saudi Arabia a deal must be notified to the General Authority for Competition, and cleared before it closes, when the parties’ combined worldwide sales exceed SAR 200 million and the further sales tests set by the Authority are met.

Source: UAE Government portal · Chambers, Merger Control 2026: Saudi Arabia

Australia: merger filing is now mandatory

Since 1 January 2026, acquisitions that meet the thresholds must be notified to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and cleared before they complete. The main test is combined Australian revenue of A$200 million or more, with a target earning A$50 million or more in Australia or a deal worth A$250 million or more.

Foreign investment review is separate. A private buyer from a listed free-trade partner, including the U.S., Canada and the UK, needs approval to buy 20% or more of a non-sensitive Australian business only above A$1,498 million in 2026. Sensitive and national-security businesses have lower thresholds.

Source: Notification of Acquisitions Determination 2025 · Foreign Investment Review Board, 2026 thresholds

India and Singapore

Since 10 September 2024, a deal worth more than INR 2,000 crore needs prior approval from the Competition Commission of India when the target has substantial business operations in India, even if the target is otherwise small.

In Singapore, notifying a merger to the competition regulator is voluntary. A separate law, the Significant Investments Review Act 2024, applies only to a short list of designated entities.

Source: Competition Commission of India · Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore · Office of Significant Investments Review

Africa: new South African thresholds

From 1 May 2026, a merger in South Africa must be notified before it is put into effect when the parties’ combined South African turnover or assets reach R1 billion and the target’s reach R200 million. Above R9.5 billion combined and R280 million for the target it is a large merger. Smaller deals can still be called in.

Across the COMESA common market in eastern and southern Africa, a merger must be notified when the parties’ combined turnover or assets in the region reach COM$60 million and at least two of them reach COM$10 million each.

Source: Competition Commission South Africa · COMESA Competition and Consumer Protection Rules 2025

General information, not legal, tax or investment advice. Thresholds and rules change; confirm them with a qualified adviser in the relevant jurisdiction. Sources checked 2 November 2026. GLZR handles sourcing, initial qualification and introductions. It does not provide a formal valuation, financing approval or underwriting.

Questions

Questions about selling or buying a business.

How much can I sell my business for?

On a multiple of earnings, like anywhere else, with an adjustment for country risk. Applying Damodaran's January 2026 country risk premiums to the Q2 2026 U.S. multiple of 4.0x EBITDA for businesses valued $2 million to $5 million gives 4.0x in Germany, Switzerland, Singapore and Australia, 3.94x in the United Arab Emirates, 3.91x in the United Kingdom and France, 3.62x in India and 3.49x in South Africa. These are GLZR Group estimates derived from public data, not observed deal prices.

Country-adjusted multiples for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Oceania

Should I sell my business?

That decision is yours, made with your accountant and lawyer. Three things help you decide: what the business could sell for, which the estimate above shows as a range for your country; what buyers want; and how the sale would be taxed where you live. A private first conversation with GLZR covers what buyers want.

Estimate what your business is worth

How do I sell my small business?

Start with a market range and your recent accounts, then speak with buyers privately before anything is advertised. The stages are the same at any size: a first conversation, a confidentiality agreement before detailed figures, a letter of intent, due diligence, then the agreement, closing and handover. Businesses valued under $2 million are usually priced on seller's discretionary earnings (SDE), larger ones on EBITDA, as in the estimate above.

The stages of an off-market sale

Does GLZR Group work in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific?

Yes. GLZR connects buyers and sellers in the United Kingdom and Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific, and with buyers in the U.S. and Canada. Company law, tax, language and currency differ from country to country, so each introduction is discussed on that country's terms.

Can I sell my business to a buyer in the U.S. or Canada?

Yes, in most cases. Neither the UK nor the EU bans North American buyers of private companies. What a cross-border deal can meet is investment screening in sensitive sectors and merger control above set thresholds, and in the United Arab Emirates foreign investors can own 100% of most mainland companies. A cross-border sale also adds tax and currency questions that local counsel should answer early. An introduction is not a sale.

Can I sell my business to a private equity firm?

Yes. Private equity firms in the U.S., Canada and elsewhere buy private companies, and many also buy smaller businesses as add-ons to companies they already own. Family offices, search funds and independent sponsors buy businesses too. GLZR learns what each buyer wants to acquire, including size, sector and country, before it makes an introduction.

How does an off-market business sale work internationally?

Much as they do elsewhere: a private first conversation, a confidentiality agreement before detailed figures are shared, a letter of intent or heads of terms, due diligence and a final agreement. The differences are local: in civil-law countries some steps must be completed before a notary, and larger deals can need merger or foreign-investment clearance before they close.

Is selling my business an option for family business succession?

Yes. When no one in the family will run the business, succession can be a sale to an outside buyer or to the managers instead of a handover. The owner can stay for an agreed transition after closing, and part of the price can be paid later through seller financing or an earnout. A transfer within the family, and its tax, is a question for your lawyer and accountant.

What is a business exit strategy?

An owner's plan for leaving the business and turning it into money. The main routes are a sale to an outside buyer (a competitor, a private equity firm, a family office or an individual), a sale to the managers, a handover to family, or closing the business. Selling to a buyer in another country is an outside sale: the stages are the ones above, plus that country's rules.

What do business buyers and sellers discuss with GLZR Group?

Buyers describe the industries, countries, size and criteria they want. Sellers describe the business, why they are considering a sale, and the timeline. GLZR does not buy businesses in a fixed list of sectors.

I want to buy a business in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa or Asia-Pacific. What should I send GLZR Group?

Email contact@glzrgroup.com with your industries, countries, size and acquisition criteria. We introduce opportunities that appear to fit. An introduction is not due diligence, and it is not a statement that the opportunity is exclusive.

Price a target with the acquisition calculator

Start here

A private conversation, first.

OwnersI’m considering selling my business. Tell us about the company, where it is based, why you are considering a sale, and your timeline. A conversation is not a commitment to sell. BuyersI’m looking to buy a business. Tell us your industries, countries, size and criteria. We introduce opportunities that appear to fit.
contact@glzrgroup.comBook a 15-minute call