Tom R. Milana pushes cross-border deal cooperation at TRANSEO Summit

Tom R. Milana represented Transworld Business Advisors, IBBA and M&A Source at the 2026 TRANSEO Summit in Luxembourg, where more than 150 deal professionals from over a dozen countries focused on cross-border business transfers. The gathering underscored rising demand for international buyer networks and stronger cooperation in privately held company sales.

Why it matters: - Cross-border M&A is becoming more important as privately held businesses draw interest from buyers, investors, family offices and entrepreneurial acquirers outside their home markets. - Stronger international networks can expand buyer reach, deepen deal flow and improve succession outcomes for business owners. - The summit highlighted growing cooperation between North American and European transaction professionals.

What happened: - Tom R. Milana, Partner and Managing Director of Transworld Business Advisors of Florida and Director of International Business Sales, participated in the 2026 TRANSEO Summit in Luxembourg. - Milana represented Transworld Business Advisors, the International Business Brokers Association and M&A Source. - The summit brought together more than 150 mergers and acquisitions professionals, business brokers, investors, academics and transaction advisors from over a dozen countries. - Attendees discussed the future of cross-border business transfers and international M&A cooperation.

The details: - Discussions focused on increasing collaboration among intermediaries worldwide. - Participants also looked at improving access to international buyers and sellers. - The event aimed to strengthen professional relationships that can support cross-border transactions. - TRANSEO is the leading European association dedicated to promoting the transfer of privately held businesses and entrepreneurship through ownership transition. - The annual summit serves as a meeting point for advisors, institutions, investors and policymakers focused on succession planning and business transfers. - Milana said the summit showed that business ownership transitions are no longer confined by borders. - Milana also said buyers are searching globally for opportunities and sellers are benefiting from exposure to international acquirers. - Milana said cooperation among TRANSEO, Transworld Business Advisors, IBBA and M&A Source can give business owners greater market reach, deeper buyer pools and access to experienced professionals worldwide. - Milana noted that collaboration between North American and European transaction professionals is creating new opportunities for middle market and privately held business owners seeking strategic growth, acquisitions, divestitures and succession solutions. - Partnerships and referral relationships formed at events such as the TRANSEO Summit can give business owners access to a broader network of qualified buyers, industry specialists, financing resources and transaction expertise. - Transworld Business Advisors says it operates one of the largest business brokerage and M&A networks in the world, with hundreds of advisors serving clients across multiple countries. - The global memberships of IBBA and M&A Source add thousands of transaction professionals to that network.

Between the lines: - The summit reflects a broader shift in business sales toward international deal sourcing and away from purely local buyer pools. - For advisors, international cooperation is becoming a competitive advantage because it can improve access to buyers, sellers and specialized support. - The emphasis on professional standards suggests the market sees trust and process quality as central to cross-border transactions.

What's next: - Milana said the profession's future depends on international cooperation. - The network-building that took place in Luxembourg is expected to support future deal flow, referrals and seller outreach across borders. - Transworld Business Advisors, IBBA and M&A Source will likely continue leaning on global partnerships to help owners maximize value and complete ownership transitions.

The bottom line: - The TRANSEO Summit reinforced a simple message: business ownership transitions are increasingly global, and the firms that connect buyers and sellers across borders may shape the next phase of M&A growth. - More information about Tom R. Milana and Transworld Business Advisors of Florida is available here or by email at tom@tworld.com. - More information about TRANSEO is available here.