How to Choose an M&A Advisor in Dubai: 8 Questions to Ask

Choosing an M&A advisor is one of the most consequential decisions you will make when selling or buying a company. The right advisor can materially improve both the outcome and the certainty of a deal; the wrong one can cost you value, time and, in the worst case, the transaction itself. Because titles and marketing claims tell you little, the best way to choose is to ask the right questions. Here are eight.

1. What relevant experience do you have?

Look for genuine, relevant experience — in transactions of a similar size, in your sector, and in the UAE/GCC market. Ask about the kinds of deals they have worked on and the roles they played, not just a logo wall. Regional and cross-border experience matters, because much of the value in a UAE process comes from reaching the right buyers, who are often international. Be mindful of how experience is described: a credible advisor is precise about what they did and in what capacity.

2. Who will actually run my deal?

In many firms, senior people win the mandate and junior staff run it. Ask directly: who will be on your deal day-to-day, and how involved will senior professionals be? A boutique, senior-led model means the experienced people you meet are the ones negotiating on your behalf. This is one of the biggest differences between advisors, and it directly affects your outcome.

3. How do you run a process?

A good answer describes a clear, disciplined process: preparation, valuation, a curated and confidential buyer (or target) outreach, competitive tension, due diligence management, and negotiation through to close. Be wary of anyone whose "process" is simply to list your business and wait. Competition — several qualified parties, discreetly managed — is the most reliable way to improve price and terms.

4. How will you value my business, and what can I realistically expect?

Ask how they arrive at a valuation. A credible advisor uses multiple methods — discounted cash flow, comparable companies, precedent transactions — and grounds them in what buyers in your sector actually pay. Be cautious of anyone who dangles an unusually high number to win the mandate, then chips it away later. Honesty about a realistic range is a good sign. Our guide to business valuation methods explains the approaches.

5. What is your access to buyers (or targets)?

For a sale, the advisor's network is central. Ask who the likely buyers are, whether they are strategic or financial, and how the advisor will reach them — including internationally. For an acquisition, ask how they source and qualify opportunities. Reach and relationships are much of what you are paying for.

6. How are your fees structured?

Expect a combination of a modest retainer and a success fee tied to completion, so incentives are aligned with a strong outcome. Ask exactly what is included, how "transaction value" is defined for the fee, whether the retainer is credited against the success fee, and what happens if the deal does not complete. Transparency here is itself a signal of how they will work. See our detailed guide to advisory fees.

7. How do you protect confidentiality?

Discretion is critical, especially for private company owners. Ask how sensitive information is controlled, how buyers are screened and put under NDA, and how a process can be run without alerting staff, customers or competitors. A serious advisor treats confidentiality as fundamental, not an afterthought — see how NDAs protect you.

8. Are you independent and free of conflicts?

Independence means the advice you receive is genuinely in your interest — not shaped by a firm's lending, trading or product-selling elsewhere. Ask whether they have any relationships that could create a conflict in your transaction, and how they manage them.

A note on chemistry and trust

Beyond the answers, pay attention to fit. You will work closely with your advisor through a demanding, high-stakes process, often for the better part of a year. Do they listen to your objectives? Are they candid, including about where they can't help? Do you trust their judgement under pressure? Technical competence is necessary, but trust is what carries a deal through its hardest moments.

The takeaway

Choose an M&A advisor the way you would choose any critical partner: on relevant experience, senior involvement, a rigorous process, honest valuation, real buyer access, transparent fees, watertight confidentiality, and genuine independence — plus the trust to work together under pressure. Ask the eight questions above and the right choice usually becomes clear. RV Capital would welcome those questions from you. Start a confidential conversation.