- Horváth brings together all restructuring-related service areas under a dedicated brand
- Full-service restructuring advisory offering ranging from early crisis detection and restructuring reports to implementation reflected in monthly financial reporting
Growing demand particularly among established mid-sized companies; AI accelerates analysis, but responsibility remains with people
The management consultancy Horváth is consolidating all service areas involved in restructuring activities under its new brand, “Horváth Restructuring.” The offering brings together capabilities that were previously spread across different areas of expertise, ranging from performance improvement and working capital management to financing and operational implementation. The move comes in response to significantly growing demand: restructuring is no longer limited to undercapitalized small businesses but is increasingly becoming a priority for established mid-sized companies. With the new brand, Horváth aims to strengthen its position in this market.
“Restructuring has been part of our business for decades, but our expertise was previously distributed across multiple service areas. With ‘Horváth Restructuring,’ we are bringing these capabilities together and entering the market as a dedicated provider,” says Patrick Heurich, Partner at Horváth and Head of Restructuring, Performance Improvement & Transactions. “Today, the key question is increasingly no longer whether a company can remain solvent in the short term, but whether its business model will still be viable five years from now.”
Key drivers include higher financing costs, increasing competition from Asia, and the erosion of traditional location advantages. Family-owned mid-sized companies with established cost structures are particularly affected, especially in the automotive industry. Additional pressure is being felt by companies in the construction and real estate sectors, where real estate financing worth hundreds of billions of euros is due to mature across Europe in 2026, as well as by businesses making significant investments in digitalization and AI while seeing a decline in their ability to finance growth internally. At the same time, banks, credit insurers, and shareholders are increasingly demanding independent assessments.
All Restructuring Capabilities Under One Roof
Under the new brand, Horváth is bringing together capabilities that were previously spread across multiple service areas, including restructuring advisory, performance improvement, working capital management, financing, and operational implementation. Services range from early crisis detection and the assessment of insolvency filing grounds in accordance with IDW S 11 to restructuring concepts under IDW S 6, as well as working capital and EBIT improvement programs and their implementation.
Horváth completed the final building block of this portfolio earlier this year with the addition of Tobias Fusten, a recognized expert in restructuring and restructuring reports. He is responsible for preparing reports in accordance with IDW S 6 and IDW S 11, enabling Horváth to offer a comprehensive full-service restructuring advisory portfolio. The firm continues to expand its team at the partner, principal, and project leadership levels, with a particular focus on operational restructuring expertise. Through the Interim-X platform, Horváth also places interim managers and Chief Restructuring Officers.
“The key to success is the connection between restructuring measures and corporate performance management. We embed initiatives directly into planning, reporting, and target-setting processes, allowing their impact to become measurable in subsequent monthly financial statements. This combination is what defines the new brand,” says Heurich.
AI Accelerates Analysis, but Responsibility Remains with People
AI-supported analyses are primarily used in the early stages of restructuring, providing a reliable picture of liquidity, working capital, and earnings structures within a short period of time. The time gained is then invested in aligning measures with management teams. At the same time, AI and automation programs themselves are becoming part of restructuring strategies. Under Horváth’s “AI to EBIT” approach, both investment costs and realistic earnings impacts are incorporated into restructuring planning.
The assessment of a company’s restructuring viability and negotiations with financing partners, however, deliberately remain human responsibilities.
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