Succession Isn’t a Crisis. It’s a Catalyst.

How India's next wave of founders and investors can rethink legacy transitions — and why BestVantage MergerBay offers a new-age solution.

When Legacy Meets a Fork in the Road

In boardrooms across India, there’s a quiet but growing question echoing through the walls of legacy businesses: What happens when the next generation says “No” to the family business?

We recently saw this unfold at VIP Industries, a household name in Indian luggage, led for decades by the thoughtful and visionary Dilip Piramal. From building over a dozen factories to creating one of the largest soft-luggage facilities in the world, Piramal did it all with the resolve of an old-school industrialist.

But when it came time to pass the baton, something shifted. His daughter, Radhika Piramal — former MD and CEO — chose to return to her life in London. The next generation, like many across India’s business families, had different dreams. Art, hospitality, tech, sustainability. Not manufacturing or market share.

Dilip Piramal, rather than force continuity, chose clarity. He handed over control of VIP Industries to a private equity consortium, accepting the realities of transition and putting the company’s future first.

And that, right there, is the new face of succession in India.

Why Succession Fails — Even in Great Companies

The numbers don’t lie. Over 75% of Indian businesses are family-owned. But only a fraction survives beyond the third generation. Not because the companies are weak, but because the context around them has changed.

Here’s what’s playing out:

• New generations are global. They don’t always want to manage factories or distribution. They want to build climate-tech apps or fashion labels.

• Old-school handovers don’t work anymore. Grooming heirs from the ground up has been replaced by individual purpose and diverse career paths.

• Markets are moving faster than transitions. Waiting 10 years to pass the baton might have worked in 1980. It doesn’t in 2025.

And so, companies stall. Valuations decline. Momentum is lost. Investors wait. Teams lose direction.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Succession is Not the End. It’s a Strategic Pivot.

At BestVantage MergerBay, we’ve had front-row seats to dozens of founder transitions. We’ve seen the pain of letting go, but also the power of doing it right.

And we believe this: succession is not a crisis. It’s a catalyst for reinvention.

What if, instead of dragging out a leadership vacuum, companies could turn the page quickly, bring in strategic capital, and go public with new energy?

What if founders, instead of being stuck between IPO delays and PE negotiations, had a cleaner, faster route to hand over their company — one that preserved value, vision, and reputation?

That’s exactly what we’ve built.

A New Solution for an Old Problem

BestVantage MergerBay is one of India’s cutting-edge platforms designed to fast-track businesses into public markets using reverse mergers via SPACs.

We help founders and promoters facing leadership transitions (or strategic fatigue) by offering:

• A clear exit route: Merge with a listed entity, bring in new operators, and transition the business without noise.

• Liquidity with legacy: Founders can retain a stake or advisory role, while unlocking significant value through listing.

• Speed and structure: We compress the timeline from idea to IPO in under 12 months — without the chaos of a traditional IPO.

For companies like VIP Industries, our model could mean:

• Replacing succession risk with operational momentum.

• Refreshing brand direction with public market capital.

• Preserving founder legacy while modernizing governance.

What This Means for Investors and Founders

If you’re an investor in legacy businesses, you know the cost of leadership drift. Boardroom stagnation. Missed opportunities. We offer a bridge — from tradition to transformation.

If you’re a founder of a high-growth private company, unsure about IPO timing or strategic buyers, we offer an express lane to scale — with smart capital, simplified compliance, and public visibility.

If you’re part of the next generation in a family business, and your dreams lie elsewhere, we offer a way to protect what your family built, even as you move forward on your own path.

The Bottom Line

Succession is no longer about naming an heir. It’s about engineering the next phase of growth.

At BestVantage MergerBay, we’re helping founders and investors unlock the full value of their companies — not by clinging to control, but by creating a future that works without them.

Whether you're planning your next move, or simply preparing for change, we're here to help you turn transitions into takeoffs.

Let’s reimagine what succession can look like.

📩 Get in touch to learn how our SPAC-led reverse merger platform can help you exit smarter, scale faster, and preserve your company’s legacy — the right way.