Interviews with experts
Executing M&A without Corporate Development
Companies can execute successful mergers and acquisitions without corporate development. In this article, we explore insights provided by Michael Farlekas, the CEO at E2open, who has executed 14 deals without a dedicated corporate development team.
Setting Up Day One for Success
Day one in M&A is a critical juncture for both the acquiring company and the target company. This is the day when the deal is officially closed and the two companies become one entity. Day one involves a lot of planning and coordination between the two companies to ensure a smooth transition. In this article, Chris Evans, former Head of CorpDev Integration at Amazon, discusses how to set up day one for success.
How to Perform Diligence on Sustainability in M&A
As the business world shifts towards a more environmentally and socially conscious approach, the significance of sustainability in M&A has become increasingly prominent. In light of this, companies are now considering the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives of their target companies before making any acquisitions. In this article, we explore the importance of sustainability in M&A and how to perform sustainability diligence, with insights from Sarah Thuo, Chief Operating Officer of IBM Sustainability Services.
Setting Up M&A for Hyper-Growth Companies
M&A is a game-changing tool that can propel a company's growth several years ahead of schedule. In this article, Michael Nov, the Head of Corp Dev & Chief of Staff to the CTO at OwnBackup, shares valuable insights on how to set up M&A for hyper-growth companies.
GTM Integration
The go-to-market (GTM) integration strategy has a large impact on revenue generation and overall deal success. Integration can be very disruptive to the customers, but if done right, it can enhance the customer experience and acquisition results. In an exclusive interview, Pat Belotti, VP of Corporate Development Integration at Zendesk, delves into the intricacies of GTM integration and offers valuable insights on how to approach it.
How Integration Has Changed Over Time
M&A integration in tech has changed quite a bit over the last twenty years. Integration has evolved from integration volunteers, to large teams with detailed tracking, to dedicated teams and Agile approaches. In this article, Pat Belotti, VP of Corporate Development Integration at Zendesk, delves into the evolution of integration.
Improving IMO For Efficiency
Integration needs to be thought out, but executed quickly. In this interview, Windy Nicholson, Technology Leader for Mergers and Acquisitions at Salesforce, discusses how to improve IMO for efficiency. In addition to having a competent team, there are additional strategies that can be implemented to improve an IMO for efficiency. This article will explore some of these strategies, with insights from Windy Nicholson, the Technology Leader for Mergers and Acquisitions at Salesforce.
How to Manage Deals From Strategy to Closing in M&A Part 2
Managing a deal from start to finish requires a strategic approach and the ability to navigate the nuances of each phase. In this second part of our series on how to manage deals from strategy to closing, Andy Wijaya, Senior Director of M&A at KLA, delves deeper into the specific steps and considerations involved in the process.
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How to Manage Deals From Strategy to Closing in M&A Part 1
Managing M&A can be a daunting task, especially for those in charge of overseeing the entire process. In this article, Andy Wijaya, Senior Director of M&A at KLA, shares his insights on how to effectively manage deals from strategy to closing in M&A.
Alternative Strategies to Accelerate Growth
Acquisitions are not the only way companies can achieve growth. Partnerships are a great way for organizations to grow their organic growth capabilities. This article will discuss alternative strategies to accelerate growth featuring Yvanna Perez-Morel, Sr. Director of Corporate Development at Ulta Beauty | Managing Director at Prisma Ventures.
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First Convo to LOI Session 3
Establishing strong connections with a target company is essential in M&A. Securing deals can be challenging, but a strategic approach can result in mutually beneficial outcomes. Join us for the third session of our 'Conversations to LOI' series, featuring Michael Frankel, Founder and Managing Partner of Trajectory Capital, as he shares his approach to deal-making.
Setting M&A Governance Up for Efficiency
In order for an M&A process to be successful, there must be effective governance in place. Governance is used to manage risks, and ensure that key stakeholders are well-informed and able to provide appropriate oversight throughout a transaction. In this article, Guy Fisher, Head of Corporate Development at Suncorp Group, shares his expertise in setting up M&A governance for efficiency.
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Executing Acquihires
Acquiring a company is complex and challenging, and in some instances, unnecessary. If buyers only need the people inside of a target company, they can do an acquihire instead of a traditional acquisition To explore this strategy deeper, this article will discuss executing acquihires, featuring Thomas Gorman, Strategy & Corporate Development at Pantheon, and Mark Khavkin, CFO at Pantheon.
First Conversation to LOI Session 2
Before buyers and sellers agree to an LOI, there are many informal conversations that happen in the background. Buyers must carefully approach any informal conversations to avoid turning a buyer off while still securing the deal. In this article, Ken Bond, Head of Corporate Development at Cetera Financial Group, discusses the key things to consider during pre-LOI conversations.
Reps and Warranties from a Business Perspective
Today, there are more than 20 reps and warranty insurance companies. And unlike before, they are now willing to cover the entire suite of reps and warranties to replace the indemnification provisions in a traditional purchase agreement. So are they worth it? Should buyers consider reps and warranty insurance on all their deals? In this article, Gitanjali Pundir, Vice President, Global Corporate Development and M&A at Visa, discusses representations and warranties from a business perspective.
How to Approach Reps and Warranties Insurance
In recent years, there has been a surge in using reps & warranty insurance in M&A, especially in private deals. Buyers and sellers can save significant time and money using reps and warranties insurance. This article will discuss how to approach reps and warranties insurance, featuring Josh Holleman, Partner at Cooley LLP.
First Conversation to LOI Session 1
Deal origination requires a well-planned strategy, and starts with informal conversations with a potential target. In this article, Jeremy Segal, Executive Vice President of Corporate Development at Progress, discusses what happens between the first conversation and LOI.
Starting Up Your Corp Dev Function
Executing acquisitions without a dedicated function is highly inefficient and would often result in failed deals. Why? Because when a company purely relies on inbound opportunities, they would not get the best deals possible. To be good at M&A, a company needs experience and consistency. This blog will discuss starting up your corporate development function featuring Veena Ramaswamy, Head of Corporate Development at Lemonade.
Executing Various Strategies and How to Get a CEO on Board
M&A is an excellent tool for growing a company. Still, acquirers should consider a variety of strategies before committing to a transaction. Choosing the right growth approach also dictates any integration plans. This article will talk about executing various strategies and how to get a CEO on board, featuring Rohit Dave, Head of Corporate Development at Block.
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How to Efficiently Execute M&A Integration
Integration is one of the most critical aspects of an M&A to achieve the transaction's desired synergies and value-creation potential. Therefore, acquirers must focus on integration to do well in M&A. In this article, Cara Bibbiani, Senior Director, Corporate Development, M&A Integration at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, discusses how to perform better M&A Integration.
Creating an M&A Team Structure
Standing up a corporate development function from scratch is a challenging, yet exciting task. And one of the pillars of a successful M&A function is a solid team who can effectively run deals. In this article, Kevin Barnes, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development at Premier Inc., will discuss how to create an M&A team structure.
How to Transition Roles in M&A
Ever wonder how to transition roles in M&A? In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Kerry Perez, Vice President, Enterprise Strategy at AMN Healthcare, will discuss her fascinating journey to M&A, during which she experienced a variety of roles. In this article, she will discuss how to transition roles in M&A.
Tying M&A Strategy and Integration Together
A strong deal strategy doesn't guarantee success. Integration is where value is created and must be prioritized immediately. Darrell Heaps, CEO at Q4 Inc., discusses how to tie M&A strategy and integration together.
Accelerating M&A Integration
Acquirers must execute quickly and efficiently, navigate changes, and preserve the target company's value. This article will discuss accelerating M&A integration, featuring Caroline Jones, Senior Director - Acquisition Success at Cisco.
How to Achieve Alignment From Both Teams During M&A Integration
Integrating an acquired company is one of the most daunting tasks in M&A. Integration never go as planned, but there are things that teams can do to make it much easier for everyone involved. In this article, Don Yakulis, Global Head of M&A Integration at Light and Wonder, discusses the importance of achieving alignment from both teams during M&A integration.
Go-To-Market Integration Planning Part 2
Achieving revenue synergies should always be a transaction’s top priority. By leveraging the combined customer base of both companies, and combining the marketing and sales efforts, companies can become a much more powerful force in the marketplace. In this two-part M&A Science Podcast episode, James Harris, Principal, Corporate Development Integration at Google, discusses go-to-market integration planning.
Go-To-Market Integration Planning Part 1
When two businesses merge, the new company's success often depends on how well the go-to-market plan is executed. The combined company inherits the two businesses’ customers, products, and respective sales and marketing channels. If not planned properly, the combined efforts can lead to customer confusion and lost sales. This article goes over go-to-market integration planning, featuring James Harris, Principal, Corporate Development Integration at Google.
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
