Susanne Bruens

Company: Lindenaar & Co Corporate Finance
Job Description: Senior Associate
Age: 33
Years of working experience in M&A: 5

What are the specialties of this talent?
Susanne has an eye for detail, strong soft skills and the right attitude to close the deal. She takes responsibility throughout all aspects of a deal, takes leadership in deal teams and has extensive experience in preparing and closing transactions in many industries and size segments. Susanne is a creative person who is not afraid to think outside the box and is pro-active towards new commercial opportunities and networking. Despite her relative young age she is truly seen as a complete all-round trusted advisor by our clients. 

How does the talent distinguish itself from its peers?
With her eagerness to learn and determination to make deals happen, Susanne distinguishes herself from her peers. Her experience and role in a landmark deal such as the Bencis – Leading Aesthetics Group transaction, in which Susanne played a strong role in successfully bringing together and closing six transactions at once, separates her from her peers. Her experience allows her to have an important seat at the table in all of the transactions that she is involved in. By being the go-to person for our clients and by managing the rest of the deal team of associates and analysts, she takes on a central role in any process. 

What impact does the talent have within the organization?
Susanne brings a positive energy to Lindenaar & Co and is willing to help her peers and juniors to learn new skills. For example, she is one of the driving forces in our partnership with FemaleXFinance and takes the lead in organizing knowledge sessions and other fun learning options for the junior level of our organization. This makes her a great mentor, for the (junior) analysts, as well as for her peers. Susanne is a real team player and an example for others. 

What impact does the talent have outside the organization?
Towards clients and relations Susanne is being recognized as an all-round advisor and she has a high “goodwill factor”. As a result, clients are quick to  approach Susanne directly and see her as a trusted (senior) advisor. Post-closing, clients are reach out to Susanne (and vice versa) to stay in touch, which will result in new commercial opportunities in the future.     

She is actively involved in the financial community, for example through her membership of the Industrieele Groote Club (IGC), where she broadens her perspective and exchanges ideas with a diverse group of people. She enjoys attending events, meeting new people and building relationships, as well as contributing to informal initiatives where women in the finance sector come together to discuss key topics and share experiences. 

To what extent does the talent make a difference when working with clients?
In the deal Susanne stays calm when the heat is on, which makes clients trust Susanne and her judgement. In line with our company culture, Susanne always has an honest and direct approach to our clients, which is highly valued, and she is not afraid to give her opinion. In sell-side transactions Susanne is directly in touch with buyers and other advisors, she is able to express the concerns of the client in a professional manner searching for the best solution to overcome any issue. Furthermore, Susanne is willing to go the extra mile to ensure that she will not be surprised in later deal stages, ensuring that deal certainty is increased. 

Why does the talent deserves this nomination?
Susanne has proven herself in the 5 1/2 years at Lindenaar & Co as a rising star in M&A. She has made a strong contribution in several complicated and challenging (cross-border) transactions such as, for example, Pimm Solutions – Capital A, Bencis – Leading Aesthetics Group and Rojo Integrations – 365 Capital. She has shown impressive growth in the 5 years at Lindenaar and we are convinced that her growth will continue in the years to come. With her development Susanne is ahead of her peers and she is on track to become one of the leading dealmakers in the Netherlands in the near future.