Jim Ackerman is a retired Vice President and Head of Corporate Development at Flex, a seasoned Corporate M&A and Business Development Professional with over 24 years of experience. Previously at Selectron, he helped grow the business unit from $20 million to over $800 million in revenue across 16 sites through strategic acquisitions. Jim's expertise includes target identification, due diligence, negotiations, and acquisition integration. He has substantial experience across the Americas, Europe, and Asia, specializing in high-value contract negotiations, P&L performance, team leadership, and executive-level communications.
Every deal is different, which means each and everyone will present unique challenges that teams have to overcome. Especially when dealing with smaller companies. There is no such thing as a perfect deal. However, with the right mindset and approach, deals can still close and bring value to both parties involved. In this interview, Jim Ackerman, recent Vice President of Corporate Development at Flex, and Steve Coghlan, Semi-recent Vice President of Corporate Development at Flex, discuss their experiences on M&A surprises and horror stories.