Podcast

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After 400 episodes and nearly 100 founding members, Kison wanted to give you a real update - where M&A Science has been, what we're building, and where this is going.

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Christian Hassold, SVP at Wpromote x Giant Spoon, reveals the culture red flags founders overlook in M&A—and why culture fit should stop deals dead in their tracks.

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Donara Jaghinyan breaks down integration debt, change management frameworks, and cross-border cultural challenges that derail M&A deals post-close.

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Donara Jaghinyan reveals why M&A integrations fail—from TSA pitfalls to carve-out complexity. Learn how IMOs manage dependencies, day-one readiness, and cross-functional execution.

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Andy Cohen, VP of Corporate Development at F5, shares 30 years of M&A wisdom: why reputation matters more than winning, and how relationships drive 60+ successful deals.

67

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Sharon Van Zeeland, VP at Rockwell Automation, shares how to systematically assess culture during M&A and sync integration planning with diligence for faster value creation.

72

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Leon Brujis of 65 Equity Partners reveals how non-control investments in founder-led companies deliver superior returns through partnership, not control.

68

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Brandon Batt, Chief People & Transformation Officer at Quadient, reveals how building M&A readiness through strategic hiring drives integration success before deals close.

72

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Rachel Hindley, VP Corporate Development at IFS, reveals how to balance PE exit horizons with long-term strategy using four acquisition archetypes and integrated diligence

49

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Johanna Jaakola and Tesia Hostetler from Cisco reveal how integration-led M&A, early decision-making, and a 180-person integration community drive surgical execution.

45

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Johanna Jaakola and Tesia Hostetler from Cisco reveal how integration-led diligence transforms deal outcomes by connecting strategy to execution from deal thesis through close.

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Tim Hall, Managing Partner at Brenton Point Capital, shares how independent sponsors win through integration excellence, not just deal aggregation, in buy-and-build platforms.

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Stefan Williams, VP Corporate Development at Snowflake, reveals how to build an M&A function from scratch, integrate acquisitions at scale, and drive growth through buyer-led strategy.

67

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Explore how Mathew Person, SVP of Corporate Development at Quickbase, structures a buyer-led M&A strategy that prioritizes culture, diligence, and stakeholder alignment. Learn how to avoid common deal pitfalls and build trust for long-term value.

55

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Discover how Atlassian executes M&A with strategic clarity. Sarah Hughes shares Atlassian’s approach to sourcing, founder relationships, cultural fit, and integration strategy on the M&A Science podcast.

62

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Learn how SAM Companies’ Dan Pollock scaled an in-house M&A engine, sourced proprietary deals, and built trust with sellers to drive sustainable growth. From relationship-building to integration, this episode breaks down real-world corp dev execution.

42

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Blackstone’s Viral Patel shares how the world’s largest alternative asset manager is expanding access to private equity through perpetual funds, building long-term value through thematic investing, and fostering a culture of innovation and integrity that drives success across the portfolio.

61

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Former Global Head of M&A at Morgan Stanley and current Paul Weiss Partner Rob Kindler shares lessons from four decades in dealmaking—from evolving roles of lawyers and bankers to navigating regulatory risk, activist pressure, and boardroom dynamics in high-stakes M&A.