The M&A Science Podcast

Strategic acquisitions can be transformative for companies, enabling growth, innovation, and market expansion. However, successfully navigating the complexities of M&A requires a deep understanding of the process and a clear strategy. In this article, Fred Heller, VP of Nuance, Corporate Development and Integration at Microsoft, shares his experience on how to transform a company through strategic acquisitions.

In the world of M&A, understanding and managing technical debt is crucial for seamless technology integration. In this episode, we’ll explore the concept of technical debt, its impact on IT infrastructure, and strategies for better integration with Tom Hearn, VP, Architecture at Insight.

The global landscape offers exciting growth opportunities that make business expansion a strategic move. M&A can be a powerful tool for this, but global deals often come with cultural complexities and regulatory intricacies that require a strategic approach. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Pablo von Siebenthal, Global Head of M&A at Swissport, talks about how to handle global M&A.

Opportunistic M&A can lead to bad acquisitions that don’t align with the company’s overall strategic goals. This creates a disjointed portfolio and integration challenges that could cause massive value leaks. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Wolfgang Schenk, VP of M&A at Belden, discusses the art of executing programmatic M&A to increase chances of M&A success.

Transformative M&A is becoming increasingly critical in today's business landscape, especially for industries facing significant regulatory and market pressures. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, we will discuss how to execute transformative M&A to change business models, featuring Tobias Gwisdalla, Head of Group M&A at GEA Group.

M&A processes can vary from country to country, making cross-border deals extremely challenging. Understanding the cultural differences is crucial for a smooth transaction. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, we focus on how to do M&A deals in Germany, featuring Frank Tepper-Sawicki, Partner, Corporate M&A, Private Equity, and Venture Capital at Dentons.

In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, we discuss how to make AI practical in M&A, featuring two AI specialists: Michael Bachman, Head of Research, Architecture, and AI Strategy at Boomi, and Chris Cappetta, Principal Solutions Architect at Boomi.

The technology industry is currently experiencing significant growth, particularly with the emergence of artificial intelligence. This trend has not only attracted significant investments but has also intensified the competition among tech companies striving to lead the market. This has made the tech space a prime area for M&A. Boomi is one of those companies who have recently made a significant move via acquisitions. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, we will discuss how to source deals in the tech space with Steve Lucas, CEO of Boomi.

Here at M&A Science, our goal is to bring the best and most effective techniques to M&A practitioners and improve their practice. In light of our 300th podcast episode, we have compiled the top 10 things that make M&A successful, together with Michael Frankel, Founder and Managing Partner of Trajectory Capital.

When it comes to M&A, time is of the essence. As a buyer, it’s best to identify whether to pursue the deal or not as soon as possible to avoid wasting money and time. Also, if the seller is a good target company, procrastinating could lead to more competition. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Jeremy Segal, Executive Vice President Corporate Development at Progress, shares their strategy on how to close deals in 30 days.

In a highly fragmented industry, roll ups are a great strategy for growth. But integrating multiple entities can be difficult, especially if you don’t have a proven framework. Ntiva has been successful in their M&A strategy, and has completed 15 acquisitions as of today. In this article, Steven Freidkin, CEO and Founder of Ntiva, Inc. and Christopher Vollmond-Carstens, Chief M&A Officer at Ntiva, Inc., share their strategy on how to execute the roll up strategy in the tech industry.

Creating a dedicated M&A function can be daunting for non-acquisitive companies. It’s a big commitment that could take away valuable time and resources from top-level management. However, when done right, corporate development muscle can be built slowly and organically. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Kyle Price, Chief of Staff & Corporate Development at Roblox, shares his experience on how to start an M&A function slowly and successfully from scratch.

Roll ups are a great strategy for highly fragmented industries. It allows the platform company to increase its size, capabilities, and market presence through the acquisition and integration of other businesses. However, it can be challenging without a proper framework. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Ivan Golubic, CFO, Corporate Development M&A at FastLap Group, shares his experience on how to start executing roll up strategy in M&A from scratch.

Integration planning is one of the most important aspects of M&A pre-close. Planning after the fact will cause massive delays and value leaks for the entire deal. It is why the integration team must be involved during the due diligence phase. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, we will talk about how to create an executable integration plan during the diligence, featuring Jim Buckley, former Vice President, Mergers and Acquisitions Integration at VMware.

Every company must have a strong capital allocation strategy to maximize its potential. Without it, the company may end up missing opportunities and spending money on things that won't help it grow or become more profitable. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Keith Levy, Operating Partner at Sonoma Brands, shares his experience on successful and unsuccessful capital allocation strategies.

Private equity firms are established for the sole purpose of generating substantial financial returns for its investors. And one of the most effective ways of maximizing investment returns is the roll up strategy. This involves buying small-sized businesses in a highly fragmented industry and combining them into a larger platform. The goal is to improve efficiency and be sold later for a higher price. In this episode of the M&A Science podcast, we will discuss roll up strategy in private equity with Gerry Williams, Partner at DLA Piper US LLP.

In a world where change is the only constant, businesses are continually seeking innovative ways to stay ahead of the curve. One such method that has gained prominence is the corporate diversification strategy, a multifaceted approach that can lead to new growth avenues and enhanced resilience. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Tyler Rodewald, VP, M&A at EIS Holdings, discusses corporate diversification through M&A.

Before doing M&A, it is crucial for acquirers to target the right business, in the right market. Otherwise, it could potentially be a costly mistake that would waste the company’s time and money. To prevent this, Andrey Galiuk, Vice President of Corporate Development and Investor Relations, shares his expertise on how to perform strategic due diligence in M&A.

In the ever-evolving business world, staying ahead isn't just about what a company does today, but how it prepares for tomorrow. This is where a venture capital arm comes into play. It is a specialized division within a larger company that focuses on investing in emerging startups and innovative projects. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, George Kellerman, VP, Head of Investments & Acquisitions at Woven by Toyota and Alexander Baum, Corporate Development Lead at Woven by Toyota, share their experience on how to stand up a venture capital arm.

There is an intimate tie between M&A strategy and corporate strategy. To be truly effective, acquisitions must directly support the overarching goal of the company. But beyond that, there needs to be a strategic alignment with everyone involved. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Camilo Franco, Director, M&A Integration and Operations at Jamf, shares their secrets on how to achieve strategic alignment from top to bottom.

Most of the biggest M&A failures of all time are caused by culture clashes. Both companies cannot simply co-exist with each other, and instead of creating more value, they destroyed both of their businesses. This is why cultural due diligence is crucial in M&A. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Ken Bond, Head of Corporate Development at Cetera Financial Group, shares his expertise on how to perform cultural due diligence to better understand the target company.

Engaging in M&A activities just for the sake of doing them is one of the biggest reasons for failed deals. Without a well-defined purpose, these transactions can distract the business and waste massive amounts of resources. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Baljit Singh, Corporate Development Leader, discusses the importance of strategic alignment between M&A and corporate strategy.

Problems don’t usually surface at the early stages because it's the honeymoon phase. Both the buyer and the seller would like to see the deal happen, so they work together to build momentum. And often that means postponing dealing with some of the more difficult and contentious issues. However, these M&A challenges are inevitable and will arise as the deal progresses. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Douglas Barnard, former Executive Vice President, Corporate Development and Legal Advisor at CF Industries, discusses effective strategies to overcome M&A challenges.

M&A valuation isn’t just about looking at the numbers. There are a lot of different factors that affect and contribute to the volatility of the M&A market. In this episode, Allan Marks, Global Project, Energy & Infrastructure Partner at Milbank, discusses how business cycles affect M&A valuation.

When executing M&A, having a structured approach to validating the acquisition plan is crucial. The worst thing any acquirer can do is to buy a business that doesn’t bring value to the parent company. Adam Harris, CEO of Cloudbeds, shared his insights on the M&A Science Podcast, outlining a meticulous 6-step process his company uses. Here’s a breakdown of these steps to help professionals streamline their M&A strategy.