How to Build Better Deals: Sourcing and Integration

John Romeo, CEO of the Oliver Wyman Forum and Head of M&A at Oliver Wyman

We sit down with John Romeo to explore Oliver Wyman’s disciplined, strategic approach to M&A. Romeo shares how his team sources deals through a bespoke pipeline, aligns incentives with founder-led businesses, and plans integrations that prioritize people and long-term value creation. From cultural diligence to pricing discipline, this episode reveals what it really takes to execute successful deals in a high-touch, people-driven industry.

What You’ll Learn:

How to build and manage a bespoke M&A pipeline
The difference between banker-led and buyer-led deal processes
What cultural alignment looks like in professional services deals
How to structure integration and retention plans to protect long-term value

John Romeo

John Romeo is the CEO of the Oliver Wyman Forum and the global Head of M&A at Oliver Wyman. With over 30 years of consulting experience, John advises boards, CEOs, and investors on strategy, risk, and operational effectiveness. He leads Oliver Wyman’s internal deal execution and integration efforts, bringing together his background in private equity advisory and global consulting to build a disciplined, scalable M&A function.

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