Is our commercial strategy shopper-centric? Do all points of sale add value to our brand? Do we protect our online brand assets effectively? Does our pricing strategy support our brand? How do we manage multiple markets within one European market? Do our logistics create commercial value?

Contract Partners

Contract Partners is a specialist commerce-legal consulting firm for branded manufacturers operating in complex European markets.

We help clients design, contract and implement distribution, pricing and go-to-market structures that work commercially, operationally and legally. Our work sits where sales, legal and operations meet: pragmatic enough to work in the business, robust enough to stand up legally and practical enough to implement.

Since 2015, we have supported manufacturers and commercial teams with hands-on advice on European distribution, selective networks, pricing structures, contracts, online brand protection and operational implementation.

Contract Partners is a specialist commerce-legal consulting firm for branded manufacturers operating in complex European markets.

We assist clients in contract negotiations with suppliers, customers, distributors and retail partners. We bring the commercial-legal interface into the negotiation process: by translating commercial intent into legal wording, identifying risks and leverage points, and supporting the negotiation in a way that strengthens both the agreement and the business relationship.

clients

Our clients are primarily branded non-food manufacturers. They create and sell distinctive products in Europe and seek to build sustainable value from their brands, innovations and distribution networks.

They are active in categories ranging from DIY and consumer electronics to luxury goods and hand-assembled products. Most sell to consumers and businesses, directly and through distributors, retailers, marketplaces and other commercial partners. They manage local and international customer relationships across physical stores, online channels and multiple markets within Europe.

We are also consulted by retailers on selective distribution networks and online intellectual property matters.

Our advice is pragmatic by design: commercially effective, operationally workable and legally compliant.

Typical questions include:

approach

Strong commercial strategies are built where sales, legal and operations come together. We work across these disciplines from the start, so strategic choices, legal frameworks and operational execution remain aligned.

Our approach combines three disciplines that are often treated separately: commercial strategy, legal framework and operational implementation.

selling

We place your brand, shoppers and commercial objectives at the centre of the strategy. Based on shopper journeys and route-to-market realities, we help identify which points of activation, influence and sale are needed to convert, upsell and attach.

We clarify go-to-market options and the route to implementation, taking into account your current footprint, partner network and organisational capabilities. We bring practical experience in working with distributors, resellers, retailers and commercial teams.

We understand how pricing structures contribute to long-term brand value and profitable top-line growth. We help translate commercial strategy into instruments that trade partners can understand, support and execute.

operations

Operations are more than moving products efficiently from A to B. Logistics, inventory position, ownership transfer, service levels and operational procedures can materially affect the effectiveness of a commercial strategy.

We help define robust logistics and operational models that fit the commercial agenda and can be implemented in daily processes, systems and partner relationships.

Our focus is practical execution: ensuring that the chosen distribution, pricing or partner model can be managed by the organisation after the strategy has been approved.

what we work on

We do not disclose the names of our clients, but the cases below are typical of the work we do.

selective distribution

A manufacturer was preparing to launch an innovative product line through several distributors in Europe. The concern was that broad distribution would dilute focus at the points of sale that mattered most.

We supported the setup of a selective distribution network based on shopper insights, product characteristics and the commercial role of selected points of sale.

This included:

  • documenting the rationale for selective distribution;
  • defining the commercial parameters for selecting points of sale;
  • drafting the necessary agreements and signature process;
  • putting in place the operational processes to manage the network;
  • training the teams involved so they understand what selective distribution is and what it is not.

The result was a channel model that supported brand value, gave the sales team clear instruments and created a legally robust basis for managing the network.

commercial agreements

A manufacturer wanted to enter into a multi-year agreement with a large international retailer. The retailer's proposed agreement limited the manufacturer's rights and introduced unwanted liability.

We supported the client in:

  • separating contractual issues from commercial intent, without frustrating the relationship or endangering the deal;
  • balancing the agreement to limit risk and liability for the client;
  • deepening and enriching the commercial deal.

The result was a stronger contractual framework that protected the client without losing sight of the commercial relationship.

pay-for-performance

A manufacturer saw room for improvement in its pricing system and in the way rebates, discounts and refunds were calculated for customers.

We supported the setup of a European pay-for-performance structure that:

  • supports the commercial agenda;
  • allows for differences between markets and customer types;
  • ties into annual agreements;
  • helps the sales team move beyond transactional discussions.

The result was a clearer commercial instrument that connected customer performance, pricing logic and annual negotiation practice.

team

We bring senior experience in commerce, legal, operations, non-food, FMCG and retail. Since 2015, we have supported clients with pragmatic solutions that fit their organisational capabilities and can be implemented in practice.

We founded Contract Partners from a passion for brands and a clear understanding of how important solid distribution strategies are for innovation and growth. We help clients make those choices carefully, with the right commercial, legal and operational instruments in place. When reselling is important to your business, your contract partners matter.

Michiel de Jong

Michiel de Jong

passion for commerce

Michiel studied business, economics and social studies at Trinity College, University of Dublin and HEC Paris. He held sales roles within Sara Lee Douwe Egberts and later joined Philips, where he worked at European and local market level.

His roles included leading Category Development Management for Philips Consumer Lifestyle, Sales Director Consumer Lifestyle for the Netherlands, Managing Director Benelux at TP Vision, Head of Sales Europe and Cluster Leader Northern Europe.

Michiel brings broad sales experience in commercial strategy, negotiating, local sales execution, product introductions, spin-offs, integrations, reorganisations and sales process design.

He supports various teams in complex commercial negotiations by combining negotiation structure with substantive commercial input. This helps clients sharpen their position, protect the commercial intent and move towards agreements that are both workable and commercially meaningful.

Lisette Hendrikse

Lisette Hendrikse

passion for legal

Lisette studied international law at the University of Amsterdam and Dutch law at VU University Amsterdam, specialising in company law and international contracting.

She worked for several listed companies, including 14 years with Royal Philips. As European Legal Counsel, she gained broad experience in M&A, corporate venturing and strategic alliances, international commercial agreements, selective distribution and exclusive agreements.

Since 2012, Lisette has run her own business-legal practice for local and international companies. She also acts as local counsel in the Netherlands, supports start-ups and regularly speaks at business-legal events. She is Founder and active supporter of the Legal Women foundation/network.

Lisette was named the best independent legal professional (DILA - Dutch Independent Legal Award) for 2020-2021, where she was praised by the jury for her innovative approach to legal work, a collaboration-focused business model, and her dedication to clients.

contact

Would you like to discuss a European commercial strategy, distribution model, pricing structure, contract framework, supplier or customer negotiation, or online brand protection issue? We help you connect the commercial objective with the legal structure and the negotiation approach. Contact us for a focused conversation.

Contract Partners B.V.
Aambeeldstraat 20
1021 KB Amsterdam
The Netherlands

https://contract.partners
+31 (0)35 54 49 766
info@contract.partners

Dutch Chamber of Commerce Registration Nr: 63901455
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