Growth & Capital · 🀝 Corporate Development Manager

The founder just stepped down. The company is at an inflection point.

Leadership transitions are the single strongest predictor of acquisition readiness. A new CEO reassesses every strategic relationship, every vendor contract, and often the company's long-term direction β€” within weeks of taking the seat. For corporate development, the window to initiate that first strategic conversation is measured in days, not months. Founders & Movers surfaces these transitions the morning they hit the SHAB register.

The timing advantage

Be the first to know. Be the first to call.

In corporate development, relationships precede transactions. The firm that establishes strategic dialogue earliest sets the frame for any eventual deal. By the time a target company is "in the market," the relationships that matter are already formed.

1
New leadership, open agenda

An incoming CEO or CFO is not yet locked into existing strategic commitments. The first 30–90 days are a reassessment period. Calling during this window means you reach a decision-maker before they've decided anything β€” and before competing corp dev teams have booked the coffee meeting.

2
Capital events signal next moves

A capital increase registered in the SHAB is rarely just an accounting entry. It signals growth intent, a pending acquisition, or preparation for an exit process. Identifying this within 48 hours lets you reach out before the round closes and before the company's advisors control access.

3
Rebrands reveal repositioning

A legal name change or commercial rebrand often accompanies a strategic pivot β€” new ownership, new market positioning, or preparation for sale. This is a low-visibility signal that most corp dev teams miss entirely. Catching it early means initiating a strategic dialogue at the exact moment the company is rethinking its identity.

Your signals

Which SHAB events matter for Corporate Development Managers

Founders & Movers monitors the Swiss SHAB daily and scores each publication against your role profile. These three signal types carry the highest acquisition and strategic partnership relevance for corp dev.

πŸ‘€ Leadership Change
HIGH SIGNAL
A new CEO, CFO, or board member registered in the SHAB is the strongest single indicator of strategic openness. Incoming leadership arrives without locked-in vendor relationships or strategic commitments. Outreach within the first week reaches a decision-maker who is actively reviewing all options β€” including M&A and strategic partnerships.
πŸ’° Capital Increase
HIGH SIGNAL
A formal capital increase filed with the commercial registry points to a company in motion β€” fresh investment, an acquisition it is preparing to make, or a balance sheet being cleaned up before a sale process. Engaging the moment this appears gives you context that most competitors won't act on until the round is public and advisors are in place.
🏷️ Rebrand
HIGH SIGNAL
A legal or commercial name change often marks ownership change, a strategic pivot, or market repositioning ahead of a transaction. This is a signal that rarely surfaces in news or LinkedIn β€” it lives in the SHAB. Corp dev teams that act on it reach companies mid-transformation, before they have settled into new advisory relationships.
Real scenario
Leadership Change β€” Axis Dynamics AG, Zurich β€” Day 1 vs Day 30

A mid-size industrial components manufacturer registers a new CEO in the SHAB. The founder, who held the role for 19 years, has stepped down. Here is what happens next β€” and why timing determines the outcome.

8:04 AM
The SHAB publishes. Leadership Change for Axis Dynamics AG. Founder-CEO exits after 19 years. New CEO named.
8:15 AM
Your Founders & Movers brief lands. Corporate Development Manager score: 94. AI angle attached β€” founder exit, no succession signal, potential acquisition candidate in precision manufacturing segment.
9:30 AM
Day 1 outcome. You reach out within a week of the leadership change. The new management is reviewing strategy, vendor relationships, and potentially acquisition options. You're the first strategic conversation they have.
Day 30
What happens if you wait. Your competitor in corp dev already had the coffee meeting. The strategic relationship is forming. You're late to the table.
Why the window closes

Day 1 vs Day 30 β€” the difference is the deal

Acting on Day 1
Day 1 β€” You call today
  • New CEO is in a strategic review β€” your outreach lands as relevant input, not cold sales
  • No competing corp dev relationships are yet established with the incoming management team
  • You can frame the conversation around their agenda, not a pitch deck
  • You have a specific, verifiable reason to reach out β€” the SHAB event β€” which opens doors that generic outreach cannot
Waiting until Day 30
Day 30 β€” You call next month
  • The new CEO has already formed a view of the competitive landscape and key advisors
  • A competing firm has already positioned itself as the strategic partner of choice
  • Investment banks and M&A advisors have begun circling β€” access becomes managed and formal
  • Your outreach is now indistinguishable from dozens of other cold approaches with no specific hook
Reach out with reason

Not "I help companies like yours." A specific reason to call.

SHAB events give you a real, specific, verifiable reason to reach out. That changes the conversation from cold outreach to warm intelligence β€” and it signals to the recipient that you're paying attention to their business, not running a spray campaign.

✕ Generic cold outreach
Subject: Strategic partnership opportunities

Hi,

We're always looking for interesting companies for strategic partnerships or acquisitions. If you're open to a conversation about your company's future direction, I'd love to connect.

Best regards
✓ SHAB-triggered with AI angle
Subject: Axis Dynamics AG β€” new CEO, worth a strategic conversation?

Noticed Axis Dynamics AG named a new CEO last week. Leadership transitions often come with a fresh look at strategic options β€” partnerships, acquisitions, or positioning for the next phase. We work on exactly these conversations for [Company]. Would a brief intro call make sense?
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