In a new digital publication, Danish Architectural Firms focus on important aspects such as generational change, mergers, partner admissions, and acquisitions to future-proof their businesses.

“It has to happen sooner or later. And it is extremely important to me that it happens sooner rather than later. That the generational change happens smoothly and without a group of colleagues and partners standing around thinking: just move already – you’re in the way.”

This is how Michael Christensen, founder of Christensen & Co Architects, describes the generational change he has implemented, which means that today he has sold his entire share of the firm he founded in 2006 to the rest of the partner group.

Together with eight other architectural firms, he discusses the considerations, challenges, and experiences they have had as a company in major transformation processes such as acquisitions, mergers, partner admissions, or generational changes.

Supplemented by the latest knowledge and advice from the lawyers and consultants of Danish Architectural Firms, the nine cases form the framework of a new digital publication that aims to show different paths to continued growth for the members of Danish Architectural Firms.

Mads Dyssel Engel, who is the committee leader for the Business Development Focus Committee of Danish Architectural Firms and a partner at Nordic Office of Architecture, has been looking forward to the publication:

“The goal is to ensure continued good business development for our members and to illustrate the various options available to an architectural firm when the business needs to be strengthened – for example, through a partner admission or an acquisition. Or when the business needs to be successfully passed on in a sale or a generational change.”

Remember Time and Culture

Such major decisions and processes take time. Therefore, according to Mads Dyssel Engel, it is important to start your considerations in good time and draw on the knowledge and experiences available at Danish Architectural Firms – now gathered in a new digital publication.

“In addition to the purely economic aspect of a partner admission, a generational change, or an acquisition, it is also important to articulate the cultures and values you want to carry forward in the company.

It takes time, and it requires conversations that ultimately should result in a well-considered and documented plan for the process that is now to begin,” says Mads Dyssel Engel, pointing to the publication’s nine cases as an important source of inspiration:

“It is extremely generous that several architectural firms have agreed to share their many experiences with mergers, generational changes, acquisitions, and partner admissions, and that they have also been so open about the challenges they have encountered along the way – and what they have learned from them.

It testifies to an industry association and an architectural industry that wants the best for each other. Competition is part of our everyday life, but alongside that, there is also a pronounced desire for each other to succeed and a desire for there to continue to be strong architectural firms in Denmark,” says Mads Dyssel Engel.

The Requirements Are More and Complex

With increasing demands and greater complexity in the projects and advice that Danish architectural firms must deliver today, there may be a need to bolster your business, says Mads Dyssel Engel:

“The requirements for the architect as an advisor have become much more complex in recent years.

This has meant that architectural firms have become much broader in terms of competencies. There is a need for more different profiles and skills in the country’s architectural firms than just the classically academically trained architect to be able to deliver and complete projects with the requirements that are set today,” says Mads Dyssel Engel and continues:

“I also see a greater focus on the need for new references – especially towards public clients. This means that among many architectural firms, there is a greater focus on bolstering themselves through acquisitions or mergers to ensure the necessary hands to maintain the necessary references.”

The Next Generation Sets New Requirements

When asked to point out other important aspects of business development – in addition to the well-known ones such as admitting new partners or acquiring other companies – Mads Dyssel Engel especially sees young architects as an important point of attention:

“There is a new generation of architects entering the job market who have different perspectives, expectations, and dreams for their working life and workplace than my generation of architects had. They have different requirements and expectations for what it is like to be part of an architectural firm and a company culture. They demand more room to develop and more feedback. We need to succeed in integrating them into our architectural firms,” says Mads Dyssel Engel, pointing to another important effort:

“I also think the future calls for a much greater focus on diversity in both our leadership and employee levels.

As architectural firms, we need to better reflect the society we are part of and build for when it comes to gender, ethnicity, social and cultural background. Diversity will become a great strength for the cultural aspect of the company, but also to a large extent for the business aspect.”