These terms describe a company’s position in a group. Use them to understand the connection before making assumptions about how the business buys.
Explore a company’s relationshipsAn entity above another in the ownership or control structure. Ask whether there is a central buying function.
A separate entity controlled by another company. Ask what it does and whether it buys locally.
A business sharing a parent with your customer. Ask whether your existing contact can make an introduction.
A parent sits above another company in the ownership or control structure. The direct parent is the immediate relationship. Further parents can appear higher in the chain. The highest returned node is not necessarily a confirmed ultimate parent when data is incomplete.
A subsidiary is a separate entity controlled by another company. It may have its own operations, staff and commercial responsibilities. Whether it can purchase independently is a separate question requiring evidence.
Sister companies share a parent. Their connection can support a request for an introduction, but they may operate in unrelated sectors or follow different buying processes. Product fit should be assessed company by company.
A branch is generally part of the same legal entity. A brand is a commercial identity. Affiliate is a broader term whose meaning depends on context. Do not assume these are interchangeable with subsidiaries when planning outreach.
Instead of assuming another entity is an opportunity, ask: what does it do, which problem could our product solve, who owns the purchasing decision and is it already covered by our agreement?