For many owners of administration and tax consulting firms, succession is a topic that is structurally postponed. This is understandable, because the daily business demands all the attention. Yet succession is precisely one of the most important strategic choices an entrepreneur must make.
The challenge is well known: suitable successors are scarce and internal candidates often lack financing opportunities. This is also recognized by Orhan Özkan, who has now joined a BANVO office as an MBI candidate. His ambition to become an entrepreneur had been there for some time, but taking the step was less obvious in practice.
From ambition to entrepreneurship
Through BANVO , Orhan came into contact with an office that matched his ambitions. What followed was a process that looked not only at knowledge and experience, but especially at personality and entrepreneurial fit. 'The whole process was smooth, open and transparent. That gave a lot of confidence from the beginning," he says.
Robbie Heijenrath also came into contact with RAAD Maastricht through BANVO . What began as an acquaintance grew into co-entrepreneurship within a year. 'The click was there right away and the structure in the process gave clarity. You know where you stand," says Heijenrath.
A structured and guided process
Where succession traditionally depends on chance, BANVO works with a clear MBI approach. This involves guiding the entire process: from profile determination and active search to screening, interviews and transfer.
An important role in this lies with Claudia Broers, Chief Human Resources Officer at BANVO. She guides both office owners and candidates through the process.'It's not just about finding someone who can do it, but about the right match. Entrepreneurship, culture and trust have to be right.'
Throughout the process, there is continuous coordination between both candidate and office. Orhan experienced this as an important difference: 'They were regularly asked how the interviews went and whether everything was clear. You notice that you are not alone.'
Growth and continuity
BANVO is growing rapidly. Not only through acquisitions, but also by structurally strengthening offices from within. The network was named the largest administration firm in the Netherlands in both 2024 and 2025 in Accountancy Vanmorgen's top 20.
By actively supervising MBI trajectories, some ten successors have successfully entered affiliated offices in the past year alone. This not only ensures growth, but above all guarantees continuity.
BANVO works from an integrated strategy in which several focus areas reinforce each other. 'The future of administrative offices requires different competencies,' Broers said. 'That is why, for example, we invest structurally in leadership development for office owners and development programs for employees. Within BANVO , themes such as recruitment, development, succession and automation work together. This creates a powerful flywheel in which offices can grow structurally, both autonomously and through cooperation.'
Guidance makes the difference
That combination of structure and guidance ensures that candidates not only get in, but start with confidence. For Robbie, that was essential: "The process went smoothly and without surprises. That gave me confidence that I was making the right decision.'
Succession as the starting point of growth
An important distinction of the BANVO model is that offices retain their own identity. For successors, this means entering an existing office with support from the network. According to Robbie, the strength of BANVO lies not only in the MBI process itself, but also in the position that the network now holds in the market.
'BANVO is becoming an increasingly important player in administration land. With BANVO on your side, it is easier to tackle major challenges, such as the tight labor market and increasing digitalization. Together you are simply stronger, especially as part of a rapidly growing and national network.'
Succession does not become an end point, but the beginning of a new growth phase. The key practical lesson is clear: successful succession does not begin the moment you want to quit, but years before.
Or as Orhan himself summarizes it, "Don't doubt, but do.
