Interviews with experts
The Corporate Venture Strategy
There are three ways large companies can grow their business: build it from scratch, buy it, or gain strategic alignment with other companies through partnerships. However, creating something from scratch is often too long, and M&A is sometimes not an option. When this occurs, there is still a way to leverage someone else's technology for faster growth. In this article, Larry Forman, Senior Manager and head of the ecosystem for Deloitte's New Venture Accelerator, discusses the corporate venture strategy.
How to Run an Accelerated Deal Process
Auction processes in M&A are very challenging for strategic buyers. Aside from the inevitable price war, speed is necessary to compete in this environment. However, if done right, corporate development can effectively compete in an auction. This article will discuss how to run an accelerated deal process featuring Kirti Gavri, Head of Corporate Development for Wizeline.
Strategizing and Executing your Exit for the Greater Good of your Team
Selling a business can be challenging for a founder. Regardless of the reasons behind an exit, there are ways to ensure a company's continuity and success. In this article, Tim Wentworth, Retired CEO of Cigna, formerly known as Express Scripts, discusses how to strategize and execute an exit for a team's greater good.
Successful End-to-End M&A
Creating value through M&A takes work. There are so many steps to take during targeting, diligence, and integration in order to achieve a transaction’s intended synergies. So. how can teams increase a deal’s chances of success? In this article, Hannah Elsakr, Vice President, Corporate Development, M&A Integration at Adobe, discusses executing successful end-to-end M&A.
Bottoms Up Deal Origination Model
The M&A can be highly inefficient, and inefficiency can lead to failed deals. However, some practitioners have figured out how to increase deal success using new work methods. For example, some practitioners have turned to Linkedin as a different way to approach deal origination. This article will explore Linkedin’s bottoms-up deal origination model, featuring their Vice President and Head of Corporate Development, Benjamin Orthlieb.
How to Execute an Effective M&A Integration Handoff
Integration is where value is created, therefore, leaving the acquired business in good hands is imperative. This article discusses how to execute an effective M&A integration handoff featuring Keith Crawford, Global Head of Corporate Development / M&A - State Street.
How to Create an Agile M&A Strategy
Strategy execution is one of the most fundamental reasons behind M&A. Acquiring a business and rationalizing the deal afterwards is a quick way to waste time and money. This article will discuss creating an Agile M&A strategy featuring Daniel Gittsovich, Vice President, Corporate Strategy & Development at L3Harris Technologies.
Sell-Side Behind-the-Scenes: Preparing a Company For an Acquisition Part 2
This interview is part two of our M&A Science podcast interview with Frederic Lebourg, CEO & Managing Director at Redlands Farm Holding, Inc. During this interview, he discusses how to prepare a company for an acquisition.
Sell-Side Behind the Scenes: Preparing a Company For Acquisition Part 1
There are many reasons why an owner sells their business. Before talking to an actual buyer, potential sellers need to prepare their business in order to maximize value. This is the first of a 2-part article of “Sell-Side Behind-the-Scenes'' where Frederic Lebourg, CEO & Managing Director at Redlands Farm Holding, Inc., discusses how to prepare a company for acquisition.
Reverse Auction in M&A
The M&A auction process creates competition among potential buyers and drives prices up. In most cases, proactive acquirers tend to avoid these types of transactions, but buyers can also initiate and create their own auction process. In this article, Atul Tiwary, Vice President of Corporate Development at Barracuda, talks about the reverse auction process in M&A.
How to Properly Lay Off People During an Acquisition
When acquiring another company, there is always the potential that layoffs will need to take place to streamline the new organization. Of course, letting people go is never easy, but there are ways to do it properly to minimize damage to the individuals and the company's reputation. In this article, Evelyn De la Cruz, Head of North America Administrative Operations at Spencer Stuart, discusses how to properly lay off people during an acquisition.
How to Approach Deal Targets
Proactive M&A is not easy. Proactive M&A requires keeping tabs on multiple companies, reaching out to them directly, and convincing owners to sell their businesses to strangers.Yet, the ability to tackle all of these actions are what make a great corporate development team. In this article, Andrew Whitcomb, Sr Director, Strategy, Corporate Development, M&A at Builders FirstSource, shares how to approach deal targets.
Introducing M&A to a Larger Company
When two companies merge together, there will be overlaps that result in winding down functions. But what happens when there are two functions that perfectly complement each other? This article will talk about how AMD acquired Xilinx and how to introduce M&A to a large company, featuring Jeff Henig, Vice President, Corporate Development at AMD, and Dan Menge, Head of M&A Integration at AMD.
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How to Handle Multiple Carve-outs
Corporate carve-outs are one of the most challenging transactions to execute. Yet, with all of its complexities, Sam French, M&A integrations and Separation Specialist, managed to pull off three carve-outs simultaneously. This article will discuss her experience and best practices.
Carving Out A Competitor
Carve-outs are incredibly complex. Buying a small part of a target company brings many challenges and can be even more complicated if the acquirer is carving out a public company. In this article, Liz Lockhart, Senior Director (PMO) and Training at Smarsh, shares her first experience and lessons learned in carving out a competitor.
Formulating M&A Strategy for Proactive Sourcing
Mergers and acquisitions are a critical part of any business, yet they can be very risky. Therefore, a clear strategy is necessary for deal success. A well-planned deal strategy enables companies to proactively source deals rather than be reactive. Without the right target, what is the point of M&A? In this article, Mike Kryza, Head of Corporate Development at the Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, discusses formulating an M&A strategy for proactive sourcing.
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Realizing Go-To-Market Synergies
M&A doesn't end at closing the deal. The deal's success relies heavily on how well the acquirer can integrate the target company. Revenue synergies are one of the most important - but also one of the hardest - things to achieve during integration. When two companies come together, their products and services often overlap, and it can be challenging to figure out how to market them as one company. This article discusses how to realize go-to-market synergies featuring Karen Ashley, Vice President, Corporate Development Integration at Cisco.
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How to Convince People to Sell their Business
M&A is one of the fastest ways to grow a company. However, first-time acquirers often find it difficult to buy companies due to a lack of experience and reputation. In this article, Willy Walker, Chairman, and CEO of Walker & Dunlop, Inc, discusses how to convince people to sell their business.
Proactive Deal Sourcing with Culture in Mind
Culture is one of the biggest M&A killers of all time. Bringing culture to the forefront of transactions can help increase deal success. Let’s learn proactive deal sourcing with culture in mind from Lisa Marchese, Head of Corporate Development at American Express.
How to Improve the Sales Function During Integration
The sales operation is the cornerstone of every business. Without it, companies would not have revenue. In this article, Richard Dunkel, Global Head of Field Enablement at Celonis, discusses how to improve the sales function during integration.
Lessons Learned from Leadership Onboarding
An effective M&A onboarding process post-close can dictate employee retention. But what's even more important is retaining the acquired company's leadership. This article will discuss lessons learned from leadership onboarding with Kim Jones, HR Director M&A at Microsoft.
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Building an Exit Path
The best time to plan an exit is when times are good, not in a desperate situation. The longer the prep time, the higher chances of success. This article talks about how to build an exit strategy featuring Touraj Parang, President & COO of Serve Robotics.
Developing an M&A Thesis
Every company wants to evolve and grow its business, and M&A is one of the fastest and most powerful ways to do it. If done correctly, it can transform an organization overnight. But it all starts with a sound M&A thesis. Without it, acquirers could waste time, money, and opportunities. In this article, Siran Tanielyan, SVP, Corporate Development at Paramount, will discuss developing an M&A thesis
Leadership Alignment and GTM Strategy for Successful Deals
Leadership alignment is one of the most underrated aspects of M&A. But without leadership alignment, there will be confusion regarding what the company will represent post-close and what needs to be integrated. The company will be left with an inconsistent narrative and messaging, which leads to retention issues. This article discusses leadership alignment and creating a GTM strategy for successful deals, featuring Cole Breidenbach, VP, M&A Integration & Strategic Initiatives at Okta.
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Growing Beyond M&A
Corporate development is more than just doing M&A. Sometimes, acquiring a company isn't the best way to achieve the organization's growth strategy. There are a variety of approaches to accelerating a business that requires extra analysis and planning. This article will discuss growing beyond M&A with Christina Ungaro, VP, Head of Corporate Development at Wind River.
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How to Stand Up an IMO Function
Integration is one of the most challenging and crucial parts of M&A. It requires a complete understanding of the parent company and the newly acquired business. If done right, it will allow acquirers to capture intended synergies and maximize the value of their transaction. It is why having a dedicated integration function can be extremely valuable to an organization. Let's all learn how to stand up an IMO function with Joshua Zatkin-Steres, Head of M&A Integration at Zuora.
Secrets to Building an M&A Function
M&A is one of the most powerful tools to transform your business instantly. If done right, your organization will reach new heights that otherwise would not have been possible. Before you can reap its benefits, you must build a good M&A function. In this article, Bani Bedi, SVP, Head of Corporate Development, Strategy, and Monetization at Smartsheet, shares the secrets to building an M&A function.
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Financial Diligence in M&A
Finance is arguably the most critical part of the due diligence process. Almost every transaction comes down to the numbers unless it's a pure IP deal. Conducting effective financial diligence in M&A is crucial to every acquisition's success. This article tackles the basics of financial diligence featuring Amr Abdelaziz, Senior Director, M&A Finance at Equinix.
Developing Strategy with Business Leaders
Strategy is a crucial part of a M&A. Without it, acquirers may end up purchasing companies that compromise their time and resources. This article will discuss developing strategy with business leaders, featuring Michael McDonald, Director, Strategy at Koch Engineered Solutions.
How to Compete in a Competitive M&A market
In M&A, most acquirers don't like a competitive process. However, competitive processes are almost inevitable as sellers are looking to maximize the value of their company. This article will discuss how to engage in a competitive M&A market, featuring Tyler Rodewald, VP, M&A at EIS Holdings.
Capturing Revenue Synergies
Revenue synergies are one of the most challenging metrics to achieve during integration, but are also the primary reason companies buy businesses. In this article, Joe Heel, Chief Revenue Officer at Zebra Technologies, talks about capturing revenue synergies.
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Architecting Communications for Successful Integration
Deal failure can often be tied back to a lack of communication and collaboration. Let's discuss architecting communications for successful integration featuring Emma Barton, Director, Alliance and Integration Management at AstraZeneca.
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HR's Partnership with Corporate Development in M&A
Culture and employee retention are two of the most important aspects of any transaction. But for some reason, many teams often ignore the importance of the HR team. Failure to understand the target company's people and culture will result in a higher likelihood of failure. This article will explore HR's partnership with corporate development in M&A with Jeremy Segal, Executive Vice President, Corporate Development at Progress.
Risk Allocation Between Signing and Closing an M&A Deal
In M&A, time is the enemy. The longer a deal takes to close, the more risks it poses for both parties. This article talks about risk allocation between signing and closing an M&A deal with the help of Brett Shawn, Senior Vice President, Assistant General Counsel at Warburg Pincus LLC.
The Importance of Lawyers in M&A
How early should M&A lawyers become involved in a transaction? Understanding what they do is crucial to answering this question. In this article, Felipe Heiderich, Senior Counsel at Moderna, discusses the importance of lawyers in M&A and their role throughout the deal lifecycle.
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Dissecting GTM for Successful Integration
Go-to-market integration is more than just combining the sales and marketing teams. In this article, Dustin Delewski, Director of M&A Integration Management at Cardinal Health, gives a comprehensive view of how you can dissect your GTM for successful integration.
Challenges of Go-To-Market Integration
More often than not, M&A involves go-to-market integration. After all, companies are bought to achieve revenue synergies in new markets. In this article, Massimo Malizia, Director of Corporate Development Integration at Cisco Systems, talks about overcoming the challenges of go-to-market integration.
How to Scale Your Corporate Development Function
The more activity, the bigger the corporate development function should be. In this article, learn how to scale a corporate development function. Saurabh Tejwani, Vice President, Corporate Development and Business Operations at GoPuff.
Buying Public Companies
Acquiring a public company is easier and better than acquiring a private company. This article will discuss the nuances of buying public companies featuring Pranjal Gambhir and Doretta Mistras, Managing Director - Global Investment Banking, Healthcare at Citi.
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How to Execute an Integration Plan (Day1)
How well an acquired business is integrated will determine the transaction's success. In this article, Gene Hugh, Chief Financial Officer at Procure Analytics, and John Morada, COO at M&A Science + DealRoom, will discuss how to successfully execute an integration plan.
How to Deliver Effective Change Management in M&A
Change management is one of the most crucial parts of M&A. When you don't plan for it; value creation is in jeopardy. Helping us understand how to deliver effective change management in M&A is Michael DeVita, Business Value Advisor at Salesforce.
Divestitures from a Legal Perspective
Corp dev plays a huge role in selling a business, but the legal team also plays a crucial role. In this article, Andrew Gratz, Chief Privacy Officer, and Associate General Counsel at LyondellBasell, talks about what a divestiture looks like from a legal perspective.
Sourcing Companies that are Not for Sale
Companies have been dressed up for sale and are under-invested for profit maximization and growth. According to Rishabh Mishra, Vice President and Head of Corporate Development at Infostretch, buying companies that are not for sale is the most lucrative acquisition you can do.
Effective Deal Sourcing Through Market Mapping
In order for M&A to be effective, you have to be proactive. It is a great tool and should be a part of your growth strategy. Sabeeh Khan, Director of Corporate Development at Infoblox, talks about effective deal sourcing through market mapping in this article.
The Basics of Sell-Side M&A
Selling your business is the most significant transaction of your life, and it is vital that you know what you're doing before you put your company up for sale. Proper preparation is key to selling a business. In this article, Adam Coffey, Founding Partner of CEO Advisory Guru LLC, discusses the basics of sell-side M&A.
How to Source Deals and Build Your Pipeline
M&A deals don’t just fall from the sky. Proactively sourcing deals is the best way to approach M&A, and in this article, Jeremy Segal, EVP, Corporate Development at Progress, teaches us how to source deals and build your pipeline.
How M&A Strategy Evolves in Education Technology
Online education is not new. But because of the pandemic, the entire educational sector was forced to shift in this direction, increasing competition. In this article, Tom Horton, SVP of Corporate Development at Kaplan, Inc., will talk about how M&A strategy evolves in education technology.
From Accounting to an M&A Career
M&A is a fascinating industry with no clear blueprint on how to get in. Kayla Davis, Vice President, Head of M&A at ABM Industries, came from accounting to an M&A Career, and in this article, she will share her journey and key lessons learned along the way.
Career Development in M&A
Traditionally, corporate development professionals come from banking roles. And while nothing is wrong with that, it is always fascinating to hear other ways that professionals start their careers in M&A. Sharing his career development in M&A is Caleb Shafer, Corporate Development Associate at RS Group plc.
Implementing an Actionable GTM Strategy
Implementing your GTM Strategy is one of the most crucial parts of integration. Learn all the challenges of implementation featuring Hannah Leung, Senior Manager, M&A at Salesforce.
