About

Aqualis Advisors provides unbiased, independent strategically-focused pre-close IT-ODD advisory services as well as similarly structured post-close IT Capabilities Assessment advisory services. In the case of lower middle-market enterprises with an IT platform based on an introductory-level, out-of-the-box financial application such as QuickBooks, our IT-ODD services can be structured to either define or validate the IT investment parameters necessary to establish an appropriate IT capabilities platform to achieve the acquirer’s transaction objectives.

Operating Objective– Our objective is to develop recurring relationships with our Private Equity Clients, providing our services repeatedly on subsequent transactions.
- Subsequent to all engagements, we are available to provide assistance to implement our suggested recommendations and findings at the request of our Private Equity Clients.
- As a truly unbiased and independent IT-ODD provider, we do not actively seek the development of follow-on services revenue from any Target that we provide our services.
- Unlike other IT due diligence providers, we believe that seeking diligence follow-on work post-close results in a conflict of interest and perhaps bias regarding the results and quality of the engagement.

Proven Services Delivery Model – Since executing our first strategically-focused IT-ODD engagement in 2006, our focus has been to leverage the 35+ years of our extensive M&A, management consulting, business ownership, executive management and information technology experience to provide relevant IT-ODD findings and commentary on each middle-market transaction utilizing our proven services delivery model:
- Our services are always rendered on a fixed-fee basis.
- Our written report of findings and recommendations is typically delivered within 7-10 days of initial contact with the designated Target point-of-contact.
- Our unique focused IT-ODD services approach allows our Private Equity Clients to incorporate our IT-ODD efforts within their aggregate due diligence program without increasing services provider coordination complexities.

Leverageable Experience– As seasoned M&A professionals with executive management experience, we understand the sensitivities and confidentiality concerns associated with transactions and we are able to leverage our extensive knowledge of technology deployments to minimize interaction with, and intrusion upon, Target personnel relevant for our analysis.

Many middle-market companies appear to be adequately deploying sufficient business applications since they are able to facilitate processing of business transactions and generate sufficient reporting of operational and financial results.

- However, as a result of experience and judgment-based analyses, it was determined that many of these same companies were not leveraging information technology to achieve maximum productivity, revenue generation or market development value.
- Likewise, information technology capabilities have not been appropriately architected to truly enable the company’s business model and strategic objectives in order to achieve exit-oriented enterprise value creation — which experience facilitates both recognition and suggestion of remedial recommendations.

Many of our Private Equity Clients were first-time users of external IT-ODD services and, as a result of our unique approach, understand the need for IT-ODD as well as unique value of our findings and recommendations.

- Previously, they typically assumed that sufficient operational and financial results were being generated to support their financial due diligence requests, therefore no specific, focused, independent IT-ODD was included in their due diligence efforts.
- However, after reviewing our findings and recommendations, they realized how they could more effectively leverage technology to achieve their strategic and financial objectives and have a clear understanding of the financial impact.

Aqualis Advisors’ engagements are arranged and executed by founder David M. Jung, who previously founded Aqualis Partners, LLC in 2006 and has personally conducted all 300+ engagements for our 75+ Private Equity clients. As necessary, independent external advisors may collaborate either during an engagement or post-engagement in order to provide a comprehensive scope of services.