Building Your M&A Reputation with Andy Cohen

Andy Cohen, Vice President of Corporate Development at F5

Andy has built a career that proves M&A is fundamentally about relationships, not just transactions. With 30 years of experience and 60 deals closed across high-growth tech companies including Citrix, Acquia, and F5, Andy has cultivated the kind of reputation where every CEO he's worked with will take his call tomorrow. In this conversation, he reveals why zero-sum thinking kills deals, how to convince people to sell without convincing them to sell, and why walking away on principle matters more than closing at any cost. If you want to understand how the best dealmakers build trust, navigate internal negotiations, and create lasting value, this episode delivers the blueprint.

Things you will learn:

Why reputation is your most valuable M&A asset – Andy explains how 30 years of relationship-building creates deal flow that no amount of cold outreach can match
The shift from zero-sum to win-enough thinking
Learn Andy's approach to using due diligence not just for go/no-go decisions, but as the foundation for integration strategy, cultural fit assessment, and long-term value creation.

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Andy Cohen

Andy Cohen brings 30 years of M&A experience to his role as Vice President of Corporate Development at F5, where he's executed eight acquisitions in three years—including a record-breaking year with four deals. His career spans high-growth tech companies including Citrix and Acquia, with experience on the buy-side, sell-side, VC side, and as an operator at small companies. This cross-functional perspective gives Andy unique empathy for what different stakeholders experience during M&A, and his reputation for running ethical, relationship-driven processes means every CEO he's worked with over six decades of deals will still take his call.