News

26 January 2016

IFU LAUNCHES HANDBOOK ON BUSINESS PLANS

The purpose of the new handbook is to inspire IFU's partners to identify and answer key questions in connection to their business plan as well as acknowledge the value of the business planning process.

IFU has launched a new handbook for our partners called
IFU’s Best Practice on Business Plans”.

As business planning is the foundation for building a successful business, IFU has developed this handbook as a key tool for companies who plan to expand their business into an emerging market or developing country, either by investing in a new subsidiary company or in an existing company.

Additionally, the hope is that IFU’s partners with existing operations seeking to expand or shift their strategic focus may also use the handbook as a source of inspiration on how to approach the strategic planning process.

– We hope that this handbook will inspire our partners to identify and answer key questions in connection to their business plan, says IFU’s CEO Tommy Thomsen.

Nearly 50 years of experience

The content of this handbook is inspired by IFU’s nearly 50 years of investment experience in developing countries in cooperation with Danish companies. It includes IFU’s dos and don’ts in relation to business planning and the business start-up process.

By following the suggested table of contents, a company’s business plan should encompass most of the information that IFU and any other potential investor will need in order to determine whether or not to provide financial means for the company’s new business. However, it is important to acknowledge that the value of business planning is not just ‘the output’, i.e. the business plan, but also the process itself and the guidance it gives to the company in making the right investment decisions.

How can IFU assist you?

IFU does not require you to hand in a finished business plan when contacting us regarding co-financing. In many cases, IFU can offer advice on how to polish off the business strategy, including but not limited to legal setup, contractual agreements, sustainability, search and selection procedures, etc.

– Regardless of how far you are in the strategic process, we invite all our project companies to contact us. We are happy to engage in a dialogue about the best strategic approach or the viability of a project, says Morten Christiansen, Senior Vice President at IFU.