How we work
A documented path from first conversation to final account.
Complex mandates fail commercially far more often than they fail technically. They fail because scope was never written down, because a deliverable was assumed rather than agreed, or because the fee position was left to be resolved at the end.
UMCI runs every engagement through the same documented sequence. It takes slightly longer to start. It removes almost every dispute that would otherwise arrive later.
Engagement terms
A master agreement establishes the general terms governing the relationship. It is signed once and governs everything that follows.
Statement of Work
Each mandate is scoped in writing: objectives, services, deliverables, timetable and responsibilities. Nothing proceeds on assumption.
Commercial proposal
A costed proposal reflecting the scope. Fees are structured to suit the mandate — fixed fee, monthly retainer, milestone payments, success fee, time-based charges, or a hybrid. Where appropriate we agree deferred, equity or profit participation arrangements.
Acceptance
Formal written acceptance. Work begins only from this point.
Project launch and team
A named delivery team is assigned, led by a principal. Where a mandate requires specialist capability, subconsultants are appointed, managed and remunerated by UMCI — not by the client.
Monthly progress reporting
Written reporting throughout the mandate: status, milestones, dependencies, risks and issues. The client is never waiting to find out where a transaction stands.
Completion certification
Milestones and completion are formally certified. Payment certificates, invoices and, where applicable, success fee certificates follow the certification — not the other way round.
Final report and project close
A final report and final account certificate close the mandate. The commercial position is settled and documented.
Commercial terms
Structured to match the mandate.
Fees are specified in the applicable Statement of Work and may comprise one or more of: fixed fees · monthly retainers · milestone payments · success fees · time-based charges · hybrid structures · equity participation · profit participation · deferred fees.
Fees are payable in euros unless otherwise agreed. We routinely contract in pounds sterling, US dollars and Swiss francs.
Where a mandate comprises several service components, each is identified separately in the mandate documentation and reflected separately in our invoicing.
Reasonable expenses actually incurred — travel, accommodation, subsistence, venue hire, specialist reports, translation, courier charges — are reimbursed where expressly agreed in advance.
Qualification
Scale.
Mandates typically commence from €100,000. Investment structuring and treasury coordination mandates generally commence from €250,000, and prime real estate and private investment office engagements are materially higher.
Smaller discrete pieces of work are occasionally undertaken where they form part of a developing relationship.
Delivery
Appointed and managed by us.
Where a mandate benefits from specialist input, UMCI appoints and manages it directly: legal advisers, accountants, tax advisers, engineers, architects, surveyors, property consultants, financial modellers, market researchers, translators, commercial advisers, technical specialists, project managers and industry experts.
We retain sole discretion over appointment, replacement, supervision and remuneration of any subconsultant we engage. The client has one accountable counterparty throughout.
Separately, and where appropriate, we coordinate independent third-party professionals engaged directly by the client — solicitors, barristers, notaries, auditors, valuers, estate agents, banks, escrow providers, trustees, company formation agents and immigration advisers.
The full framework, in detail.
The Engagement Framework Overview sets out the complete agreement architecture, the certificate suite and the typical client journey. We will send it on request.