The M&A Science Podcast

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

Keith Crawford of State Street shares proven frameworks for navigating complex carve-out transactions, from proactive sourcing to integration execution.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Hilary Shirazi, Head of Corporate Development at Notion, shares how to build M&A strategy, the Four T's framework, and scaling deals without an IMO.

Jennifer Miller, Senior Director of Corporate Development at Oshkosh Corporation, brings over 24 years of M&A experience spanning investment banking, boutique advisory, and corporate development.

Nicole Markowski, former Director at Wipfli, reveals how integration-led diligence prevents value destruction and why the human element determines M&A success.

Byron Lichtenstein, Managing Director at Insight Partners, reveals how to execute strategic M&A at scale, supporting 500+ portfolio companies with buyer-led deals.

TIAA's Javier Enrile shares buyer-side M&A strategies, from intrinsic valuation methods to deal structuring tools that protect downside risk in financial services.

Xavier Gury, founding partner at Wind VC, shares lessons from his 3 exits including a performance-based earnout that grew his company from 100 to 250 people.

In part two of this masterclass conversation, Arash Attar-Rezvani gets into the execution challenges that separate successful M&A practitioners from the rest.

Skadden's Arash Attar-Rezvani shares 25 years of cross-border M&A strategy expertise, covering regulatory hurdles, deal structures, and cultural nuances.

Haley joins us to decode the art of building successful buy-and-build platforms from the ground up. In this episode, Haley walks through Alpine's proven methodology for transforming small $3M EBITDA businesses into $100M+ platforms through strategic M&A and operational excellence. Learn how Alpine's unique talent model,

John Palusci, former VP of Transformation and Strategic Finance at BAYADA, shares how to scale M&A in a nonprofit healthcare org with a buyer-led mindset, value alignment, and structured diligence.

Ryan Gable, Managing Partner at BW Forsyth Partners, shares how a people-first, permanent capital model drives M&A success. Learn how Forsyth sources proprietary deals, avoids short-term pitfalls, and builds businesses for generations.

Pendo CEO Todd Olson shares his playbook for acquiring startups—from buying for product fit to keeping founders motivated post-close. Learn why Pendo values speed, people, and long-term integration over quick wins.