> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.delpha.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.delpha.io/delpha-for-salesforce/how-to-faq/delpha-ultimate-parent/how-delpha-selects-the-ultimate-parent-the-10-logic-protocols.md). # How Delpha Selects the Ultimate Parent: The 10 Logic Protocols ## How Delpha Selects the Ultimate Parent: The 10 Logic Protocols Delpha's Ultimate Parent model is designed for go-to-market use cases. It identifies the company that best represents an account's commercial or operating group — not simply the last legal owner in a corporate registry. This distinction matters because the highest financial owner may be a government, investment fund, family trust, holding vehicle, or joint-venture partner. Those entities can be legally relevant without being the right level for territory assignment, account-based marketing, sales coverage, or pipeline reporting. This article explains the ten Logic Protocols Delpha applies to resolve these situations, including examples of the resulting Ultimate Parent data. > **Note:** > > * The examples below are simplified to illustrate the decision logic. Ownership structures change over time, so Delpha verifies each result against current trusted sources during the assessment. Some examples use fictional companies where real-world ownership changes hands frequently. > * The Protocol information can be extracted from the [D Ultimate Data JSON payload](/delpha-for-salesforce/how-to-faq/delpha-ultimate-parent/understanding-the-d-ultimate-data-json-payload.md#section-a-evidence-and-evaluation-protocols). ### Commercial parent vs. financial parent An ownership chain can support two different views: | View | Main question | Typical uses | | --------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Financial or legal hierarchy | Who ultimately owns or controls the entity? | KYC, credit checks, invoicing, compliance, legal reporting | | Commercial or operating hierarchy | Which group does the entity operate and go to market under? | Sales territories, lead routing, ABM, account planning, pipeline rollups | Delpha focuses on the second view when recommending an Ultimate Parent. The legal chain is still retained as evidence, but passive or non-operating owners can be bypassed for commercial selection. For more background, see [Ultimate — Delpha focuses on Brands and Operating structures](/delpha-for-salesforce/how-to-faq/delpha-ultimate-parent/ultimate-delpha-focuses-on-brands-and-operating-structures.md). ### Key fields and terms * **Target:** The company or Salesforce Account being assessed. * **Absolute Top / Financial Parent:** The final entity found at the top of the legal ownership chain. * **Effective Parent / Commercial Parent:** The entity Delpha selects as the most useful Ultimate Parent for go-to-market purposes. * `ultimate_parent_commercial_name`: The name under which the selected parent is known in the market. * `ultimate_parent_legal_name`: The registered legal entity that anchors the selected commercial parent. * `ultimate_parent_country`: The ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code of that legal entity. * `ultimate_parent_website`: The canonical website of the entity Delpha selected. * `is_self_ultimate`: `true` when the Target is itself the selected Ultimate Parent; otherwise `false`. * `is_ultimate_financial_parent`: Identifies the entity at the end of the financial ownership chain, even when it is not the commercial parent. * `is_discarded`: Excludes an entity from commercial-parent selection while preserving it in the ownership chain for context and auditability. * `relationship_type`: Describes how the Target relates to the selected commercial parent. > **Important:** "Discarded" does not mean deleted, incorrect, or irrelevant. It means the entity is not the best commercial rollup point. ### How the protocols are evaluated Delpha starts at the Absolute Top of the captured ownership chain and moves down toward the Target. It evaluates the protocols in the exact order shown below and stops when the first applicable protocol is confirmed.
PriorityProtocolResolvesCommercial parent selected
1Joint VentureShared ownership with no single commercial parentThe Target itself
2Network / FranchiseIndependent legal operators using a global brand or networkThe global brand
3Chaebol Control TowerComplex South Korean group structuresThe group brand or flagship entity
4State-Owned EnterpriseGovernments and sovereign owners above operating companiesThe highest corporate entity below the state
5Private EquityInvestment owners above portfolio operating groupsThe highest operating group in the chain
6Operational Pulse / Shell FilterFamily holdings, trusts, foundations, and investment vehiclesThe active holding, or the operating group below a passive shell
7Branded ConglomerateVerified subsidiaries using a global group brandThe global group brand
8Strategic Holding CompanyActive public holding companies with multiple brandsThe holding company
9Active ConglomerateOperating global parents whose legal and commercial identities alignThe conglomerate itself
10IndependenceNo controlling or usable parent foundThe Target itself
Because the first confirmed match wins, a company that qualifies as a joint venture is handled by Protocol 1 before Delpha considers broader conglomerate or independence rules. ### Protocol 1 — Joint Venture #### When it applies The Target is controlled jointly by a consortium or by partners with equal or shared control, such as a 50/50 venture. There is no single parent that accurately represents the business commercially. #### What Delpha does Delpha treats the joint venture as its own Ultimate Parent: * `ultimate_parent_commercial_name` exactly matches the Target's `subsidiary_commercial_name`. * `is_self_ultimate` is set to `true`. * `relationship_type` is set to `Joint Venture`. * The joint-venture entity receives `is_ultimate_financial_parent: true`. * The known partners remain in `ownership_chain`, but each is tagged as: * `entity_type: Joint Venture Partner` * `ownership_status: Equal/Joint` * `is_discarded: true` * `is_ultimate_financial_parent: false` This "flat graph" preserves both partners without incorrectly placing one above the other. #### Example **Sony Honda Mobility** is a 50/50 venture between Sony and Honda. | Output | Result | | -------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | | Commercial Ultimate Parent | Sony Honda Mobility | | `is_self_ultimate` | `true` | | `relationship_type` | `Joint Venture` | | Sony | JV partner; discarded for commercial selection | | Honda | JV partner; discarded for commercial selection | The sales hierarchy therefore rolls Sony Honda Mobility up to itself, while the two partners remain visible as ownership context. ### Protocol 2 — Network / Franchise #### When it applies The Target is a franchisee or a member firm in a global network — for example an EY member firm or a McDonald's franchisee. It may be independently owned as a legal entity while operating under a shared brand, commercial model, or network identity. #### What Delpha does * The global brand becomes `ultimate_parent_commercial_name`. * The actual registered coordinating or franchisor entity becomes `ultimate_parent_legal_name` — never a generic brand label. * `ultimate_parent_country` is the legal anchor's ISO alpha-2 jurisdiction code. * `is_self_ultimate` is set to `false`. * `relationship_type` is set to `Member Firm/Franchise`. #### Example For a locally owned McDonald's franchisee: | Output | Result | | -------------------------- | ----------------------- | | Commercial Ultimate Parent | McDonald's | | Legal Ultimate Parent | McDonald's Corporation | | Country | `US` | | `is_self_ultimate` | `false` | | `relationship_type` | `Member Firm/Franchise` | The local operator remains the legal company on the Account, while McDonald's provides the commercially meaningful rollup for brand-level planning. ### Protocol 3 — Chaebol Control Tower #### When it applies The Target is a verified major affiliate of a South Korean chaebol, such as Samsung, SK, LG, Hyundai, Lotte, or Hanwha. Shared naming alone is not sufficient. Delpha must verify the affiliation using an official company or group website, consolidated filings, shareholder disclosures, or an official registry. #### What Delpha does 1. Delpha confirms the group affiliation through trusted evidence. 2. If a financial affiliate such as an insurance or securities company appears at the top of a circular chain, it is treated as a passive financial vehicle and marked `is_discarded: true`. 3. Delpha selects the group's commercial "control tower" using one of two branches: * **Canonical group portal exists:** Select the group brand and its dedicated group website. * **No distinct group portal exists:** Select the flagship operating entity whose domain represents the broader group. 4. The selected control-tower entity is tagged with `entity_type: Chaebol` in `ownership_chain`. 5. `relationship_type` is set to `Brand/Division`, `Majority Stake`, or `Minority Stake`, according to the verified financial relationship. The selected website must always belong to the entity chosen as the commercial parent. #### Example A — Dedicated group portal A verified SK affiliate is assessed, and the distinct SK Group portal is the appropriate overarching commercial identity. | Output | Result | | -------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | | Commercial Ultimate Parent | SK Group | | Ultimate Parent Website | `sk.com` | | Selected entity type | `Chaebol` | | Relationship | Based on the verified ownership evidence | #### Example B — Flagship entity If the overarching domain belongs to the flagship operating business rather than a separate group organization, Delpha aligns the commercial name, legal name, and website to that flagship entity. For a verified Samsung affiliate, this means selecting **Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.** and the matching Samsung domain rather than inventing a separate legal entity called "Samsung Group." ### Protocol 4 — State-Owned Enterprise #### When it applies The Absolute Top is a government, state, municipality, or sovereign wealth fund. #### What Delpha does * The government or sovereign entity remains in the chain but receives `is_discarded: true`. * Delpha moves down to the highest operating corporate entity. * That company becomes `ultimate_parent_commercial_name`. * Its registered legal name — not the government's name — becomes `ultimate_parent_legal_name`. * `ultimate_parent_country` is taken from that corporate legal entity. * If the Target is the selected corporate entity, `is_self_ultimate: true` and `relationship_type: Independent`. * If the Target is a lower subsidiary, `is_self_ultimate: false` and the relationship is `Wholly Owned` or `Majority Stake`, depending on the evidence. #### Example Assume the chain is: **Government owner → Saudi Aramco → Regional operating subsidiary** | Output | Result | | ------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------- | | Government owner | Retained in chain; `is_discarded: true` | | Commercial Ultimate Parent | Saudi Aramco | | Legal Ultimate Parent | Saudi Arabian Oil Company | | Country | `SA` | | `is_self_ultimate` for regional subsidiary | `false` | | `relationship_type` | `Wholly Owned` or `Majority Stake`, as verified | The state remains the financial owner, but the operating company becomes the useful commercial parent. ### Protocol 5 — Private Equity (the "Landlord" Rule) #### When it applies The Absolute Top is a private-equity firm, venture-capital firm, asset manager, or one of its investment funds. #### What Delpha does The investor is treated as the financial "landlord," while the portfolio company remains the commercial operating group: * The PE firm and intermediate funds receive `is_discarded: true` for commercial selection. * The top PE entity still receives `is_ultimate_financial_parent: true`, because it ends the legal chain. * The highest operating group becomes `ultimate_parent_commercial_name`. * If the Target is that operating group, `is_self_ultimate: true` and `relationship_type: Independent`. * If the Target is below the operating group, `is_self_ultimate: false`, with `Wholly Owned`, `Majority Stake`, or `Brand/Division` selected from the evidence. This is an important case where an entity can be both the financial parent and discarded from the commercial-parent decision. #### Example Assume the chain is: **Northstar Capital → Northstar Fund II → Acme Industrial Group → Acme France** | Output | Result | | ---------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- | | Financial Ultimate Parent | Northstar Capital | | Northstar Capital and Fund II | `is_discarded: true` for commercial selection | | Commercial Ultimate Parent | Acme Industrial Group | | `is_self_ultimate` for Acme France | `false` | | `relationship_type` | `Wholly Owned` in this example | Sales teams can therefore plan and report against Acme Industrial Group without combining unrelated Northstar portfolio companies. ### Protocol 6 — Operational Pulse / Shell Filter #### When it applies The Absolute Top is a family holding company, master trust, foundation, or private investment vehicle. Unlike the PE protocol, these entities are not automatically bypassed. Delpha first determines whether the top entity is passive or operationally active. #### The Digital Evidence Test An entity is considered operationally active when Delpha verifies at least one of the following: * It files consolidated financial statements. * It maintains a functional canonical corporate website with leadership, careers, or group-governance information. * It is identified as the primary contracting or operating party in securities or business filings. #### Branch A — Passive shell If none of these signals exists: * The top entity receives `is_discarded: true`. * Delpha traverses down to the highest entity that passes the test. * That verified operating group becomes `ultimate_parent_commercial_name`. * `relationship_type` becomes `Wholly Owned` or `Majority Stake`, according to the Target's relationship with that group. **Example:** A family trust owns **Aurora Group**, which publishes consolidated statements and operates a full corporate website. The trust has no operational footprint. Delpha discards the trust for commercial selection and chooses Aurora Group. #### Branch B — Active holding If the top entity passes at least one test: * It is not discarded. * It becomes `ultimate_parent_commercial_name`. * Its own canonical corporate website is used, not a portfolio company's website. * If it is the Target, `is_self_ultimate: true` and `relationship_type: Independent`. * If the Target is one of its subsidiaries, `is_self_ultimate: false`, with the relationship set from the verified shareholding evidence. **Example — the holding as Target:** Exor maintains a corporate website, publishes group information, and presents an active governance structure. When Exor itself is the Target, it is selected as its own Ultimate Parent with `is_self_ultimate: true` and `relationship_type: Independent`. **Example — a subsidiary of the holding as Target:** When the Target is a company whose chain tops out at an active holding — for example Ferrari, held by Exor — the active holding is kept as the commercial parent: | Output | Result | | -------------------------- | ---------------------------------- | | Commercial Ultimate Parent | Exor | | Ultimate Parent Website | Exor's corporate site | | `is_self_ultimate` | `false` | | `relationship_type` | Based on the verified shareholding | This is intentional: an active holding that genuinely operates a group is a meaningful commercial rollup point, not a shell to bypass. ### Protocol 7 — Branded Conglomerate #### When it applies The Target shares the name, identity, or branding of a large global group, or appears to be a separate operating subsidiary of that group. This protocol has a strict evidence gate: a matching name, logo, or visual identity is not enough. Delpha must find an explicit affiliation on an official company or group website — statements such as "A Tata Enterprise" or "Part of Virgin Group" — or confirm the relationship through consolidated financial statements, shareholder data, or registry evidence. If the link cannot be verified, this protocol does not apply and Delpha continues to the next protocol. #### What Delpha does * Delpha traverses to the global operating head of the verified brand, provided it is not a passive shell. * The global group brand becomes `ultimate_parent_commercial_name`. * The actual registered holding entity becomes `ultimate_parent_legal_name`. * The commercial brand name must not be copied into the legal-name field unless it is also the registered legal name. * `relationship_type` is set to `Wholly Owned` or `Majority Stake` from the verified evidence. #### Example **Aster Mobility Ltd.** uses the statement "An Aster Group company" on its official website. The group's official portfolio also lists the company, and filings show that **Aster Holdings Limited** owns a majority stake. | Output | Result | | -------------------------- | ---------------------- | | Commercial Ultimate Parent | Aster Group | | Legal Ultimate Parent | Aster Holdings Limited | | `is_self_ultimate` | `false` | | `relationship_type` | `Majority Stake` | If only the word "Aster" appeared in both names and no explicit relationship could be verified, Delpha would not apply this protocol. ### Protocol 8 — Strategic Holding Company #### When it applies The highest non-discarded entity is a widely held public company or corporate parent that actively manages a portfolio of distinct global brands. Examples include Alphabet, Meta, Kering, LVMH, and Match Group. #### What Delpha does * The strategic holding company becomes `ultimate_parent_commercial_name`. * Its own corporate website becomes `ultimate_parent_website`. * If the Target is the holding company, `is_self_ultimate: true` and `relationship_type: Independent`. * If the Target is a subsidiary, `is_self_ultimate: false`, with `Wholly Owned` or `Majority Stake` based on securities filings. #### Example For Waymo: | Output | Result | | -------------------------- | -------------- | | Commercial Ultimate Parent | Alphabet | | Legal Ultimate Parent | Alphabet Inc. | | Ultimate Parent Website | `abc.xyz` | | `is_self_ultimate` | `false` | | `relationship_type` | `Wholly Owned` | If Alphabet itself were the Target, Delpha would keep Alphabet as the Ultimate Parent but change `is_self_ultimate` to `true` and `relationship_type` to `Independent`. ### Protocol 9 — Active Conglomerate #### When it applies The Absolute Top is an active operating conglomerate whose legal identity and commercial brand are functionally aligned, such as Microsoft, Sony, or BASF. Delpha verifies that this entity files consolidated financial statements and maintains the group's global executive leadership. This confirms that the company is an operating parent rather than a passive shell. #### What Delpha does * The conglomerate's global commercial name becomes `ultimate_parent_commercial_name`. * Its primary global domain becomes `ultimate_parent_website`. * If the Target is the conglomerate itself, `is_self_ultimate: true` and `relationship_type: Independent`. * If the Target is a subsidiary, `is_self_ultimate: false`, with `Wholly Owned` or `Majority Stake` based on securities filings. #### Example For a Microsoft regional subsidiary: | Output | Result | | -------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | | Commercial Ultimate Parent | Microsoft | | Legal Ultimate Parent | Microsoft Corporation | | Ultimate Parent Website | `microsoft.com` | | `is_self_ultimate` | `false` | | `relationship_type` | `Wholly Owned`, when confirmed by filings | The regional entity keeps its own legal record, while sales activity can roll up to the globally operating Microsoft group. ### Protocol 10 — Independence #### When it applies Delpha reaches the independence protocol when: * No parent can be found. * No usable commercial parent remains after applying the earlier protocols. * The Target is a widely held public company with no controlling shareholder and no higher operating parent. #### What Delpha does * The Target becomes its own Ultimate Parent. * `ultimate_parent_commercial_name` exactly matches `subsidiary_commercial_name`. * `is_self_ultimate` is set to `true`. * `relationship_type` is set to `Independent`. #### Example **Independent Analytics plc** is publicly traded, has no controlling shareholder, and operates under its own brand. | Output | Result | | -------------------------- | --------------------- | | Commercial Ultimate Parent | Independent Analytics | | `is_self_ultimate` | `true` | | `relationship_type` | `Independent` | Delpha does not create an artificial parent simply to complete the hierarchy. ### Evidence takes priority over assumptions Several protocols include an evidence gate because brand resemblance does not prove ownership. Delpha cross-checks official company websites, global brand websites, recent corporate announcements, securities filings, and official registries before confirming a relationship. This evidence-first approach helps prevent common hierarchy errors, including: * Treating a similarly named company as a subsidiary without proof. * Selecting a government or investment fund as the sales rollup point. * Combining unrelated portfolio companies under the same private-equity firm. * Using a commercial brand label where a registered legal name is required. * Selecting a website that belongs to a subsidiary rather than the chosen parent. See [Delpha trusted sources for Ultimate Parent ](/delpha-for-salesforce/how-to-faq/delpha-ultimate-parent/delpha-trusted-sources-for-ultimate-parent.md)for the complete source hierarchy. ### Key takeaway Delpha preserves the legal ownership chain while selecting the entity that best represents how the business operates in the market. The ten protocols ensure that joint ventures, franchises, chaebols, state-owned companies, investment structures, branded groups, and independent businesses are handled consistently. The result is an Ultimate Parent hierarchy designed for real-world sales coverage, account planning, ABM, and reporting — without losing the financial and legal context needed for auditability. ### Related pages * [Understanding the Ultimate Parent Analysis ](/delpha-for-salesforce/how-to-faq/delpha-ultimate-parent/understanding-the-ultimate-parent-analysis.md)— the full pipeline, from confidence calculation to Score Meter results. * [Delpha trusted sources for Ultimate Parent](/delpha-for-salesforce/how-to-faq/delpha-ultimate-parent/delpha-trusted-sources-for-ultimate-parent.md) — the evidence Delpha relies on before any protocol triggers. * [Ultimate — Delpha focuses on Brands and Operating structures](/delpha-for-salesforce/how-to-faq/delpha-ultimate-parent/ultimate-delpha-focuses-on-brands-and-operating-structures.md) — why the commercial view matters. * [What are the Delpha Ultimate Parent Fields](/delpha-for-salesforce/how-to-faq/delpha-ultimate-parent/what-are-the-delpha-ultimate-parent-fields.md) — where every flag mentioned on this page is stored. * [Understanding the D Ultimate Data JSON Payload](/delpha-for-salesforce/how-to-faq/delpha-ultimate-parent/understanding-the-d-ultimate-data-json-payload.md) — interpret the underlying D Ultimate Data field, including ownership chain tracking and algorithmic evaluation evidence. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. 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