M&A Science

Mike Kryza , Head of Corporate Development at The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America Private- F500 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...

Karen Ashley , Vice President, Corporate Development Integration at Cisco CSCO (NASDAQ) M&A doesn't end when a deal closes. 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...

Willy Walker , Chairman and CEO of Walker & Dunlop, Inc (NYSE: WD)  M&A is one of the fastest ways to grow a company. Many of the largest companies in the world turn to M&A for inorganic growth. However, first-time acquirers often find it difficult to buy companies due to a lack of experience and reputation.  In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Willy Walker , Chairman, and CEO of Walker &...

Lisa Marchese , Head of Corporate Development at American Express AXP (NYSE) Culture is one of the biggest M&A killers. Some of the biggest deal failures in history are due to culture clashes that resulted in value leaks and destroyed companies. Bringing culture to the forefront of transactions can help increase deal success.  In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Lisa Marchese , Head of Cor...

Richard Dunkel , Global Head of Field Enablement at Celonis The sales operation is the cornerstone of every business. Without it, companies would not have revenue. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Richard Dunkel , Global Head of Field Enablement at Celonis , discusses how to improve the sales function during integration. Liked today's episode? Unlock over 60 courses taught by top-tier M...

Kim Jones , HR Director M&A at Microsoft ( NASDAQ: MSFT) 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. Leadership has massive influence inside the business, and helping them transition properly will positively impact the overall transaction.  In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, K...

Touraj Parang , President & COO of Serve Robotics Selling a business is a difficult task that requires a lot of planning and preparation. However, most entrepreneurs refuse to entertain the idea of a sale until it is too late. 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.  In this episode of the M&A Scie...

Siran Tanielyan , SVP, Corporate Development at Paramount (NYSE: PGRE) Every company wants to evolve and grow its business, and M&A is one of the fastest and most powerful ways to grow. If done correctly, M&A can transform an organization overnight but there must be a sound M&A thesis. Without an M&A thesis, acquirers might end up wasting time, money, and opportunities.  In this episode of the M&A...

Cole Breidenbach , VP, M&A Integration & Strategic Initiatives at Okta ( NASDAQ: OKTA) Leadership alignment is one of the most underrated aspects of M&A. But without leadership alignment, there will be confusion regarding what the company will represent post-close and what needs to be integrated. The company will be left with an inconsistent narrative and messaging, which leads to retention issues...

Christina Ungaro , VP, Head of Corporate Development at Wind River Corporate development is more than just doing M&A. Sometimes, acquiring a company isn't the best way to achieve the organization's growth strategy. There are a variety of approaches to accelerating a business that require extra analysis and planning. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Christina Ungaro , VP, Head of Corpora...

Joshua Zatkin-Steres , Head of M&A Integration at Zuora NYSE: ZUO Integration is one of the most challenging and crucial parts of M&A. It requires a complete understanding of the parent company and the newly acquired business. If done right, it will allow acquirers to capture intended synergies and maximize the value of their transaction. It is why having a dedicated integration function can be ex...

Bani Bedi , SVP, Head of Corporate Development, Strategy and Monetization at Smartsheet M&A is one of the most powerful tools to transform your business instantly.  If done right, your organization will reach new heights that otherwise would not have been possible. But before you can reap its benefits, you must build a good M&A function.  In this episode of the M&A Science podcast, Bani Bedi , SVP...

Amr Abdelaziz ,  Senior Director, M&A Finance at Equinix (NASDAQ: EQIX) Finance is arguably the most critical part of the due diligence process. Almost every transaction comes down to the numbers unless it's a pure IP deal. Conducting effective financial diligence in M&A is crucial to every acquisition's success.  In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Amr Abdelaziz , Senior Director, M&A Fin...

Michael McDonald , Director, Strategy at Koch Engineered Solutions Strategy is a crucial part of an M&A. Without it, acquirers may end up purchasing companies that compromise their time and resources. A good strategy shapes how to approach a target company, the questions to ask during diligence, and how to integrate the newly acquired business. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Michael M...

Tyler Rodewald , Vice President, M&A at EIS Holdings   In M&A, most acquirers don't like a competitive process. Auctions can drive higher prices, shorten the diligence process, and increase uncertainty. However, competitive processes are almost inevitable as sellers are looking to maximize the value of their company.  In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Tyler Rodewald , VP, M&A at EIS Hold...

Joe Heel , Chief Revenue Officer at Zebra Technologies  Revenue synergies are one of the most challenging metrics to achieve during integration, but are also the primary reason companies buy businesses. It's safe to say that many transactions fail to realize their intended value.  In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Joe Heel , Chief Revenue Officer at Zebra Technologies , talks about captu...

Emma Barton , Director, Alliance and Integration Management at AstraZeneca AZN (NASDAQ) Deal failure can often be tied back to a lack of communication and collaboration. Teams often work in silos which results in inefficiencies and a poor employee experience. However, smooth transaction workflows are possible, and with increased deal success, with the proper framework.  In this episode of the M&A...

Brett Shawn , Senior Vice President, Assistant General Counsel at Warburg Pincus LLC In M&A, time is the enemy. The longer a deal takes to close, the more risks it poses for both parties. Both the buyer and the seller need to understand the deal risks and how to mitigate them.  In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Brett Shawn , Senior Vice President, Assistant General Counsel at Warburg Pin...

Felipe Heiderich , Senior Counsel at Moderna NASDAQ: MRNA We all know it's impossible to do M&A without lawyers. But the question is, how early should lawyers be involved in a transaction? Understanding what lawyers do is crucial to answering this question.  In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Felipe Heiderich , Senior Counsel at Moderna , discusses the importance of lawyers in M&A and the...

Massimo Malizia , Director of Corporate Development Integration at Cisco Systems More often than not, M&A involves go-to-market integration. After all, companies are bought to achieve revenue synergies in new markets. Getting the GTM integration just right should be a top priority.  In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Massimo Malizia , Director of Corporate Development Integration at Cisco...

Saurabh Tejwani , Vice President, Corporate Development and Business Operations at GoPuff . The corporate development function is crucial to a company's growth, and is primarily focused on strategic decisions to achieve inorganic growth. The more activity, the bigger the function should be. But scaling is not always easy, especially the first time around.  In this episode of the M&A Science Podcas...

Pranjal Gambhir, and Doretta Mistras, Managing Director - Global Investment Banking, Healthcare at Citi The M&A process varies when dealing with a public vs private company. To many, acquiring a public company is more ideal. First-time acquirers need to be aware of the differences between acquiring a public company and acquiring a private company. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Pranja...

Gene Hugh , Chief Financial Officer at Procure Analytics , and John Morada , COO at M&A Science + DealRoom . Day one is a monumental day for acquirers.  All cuffs are off, and the target company has an official new owner. How well the acquired business is integrated will determine the transaction's success and the realized value.  In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Gene Hugh , Chief Finan...

Michael DeVita , Business Value Advisor at Salesforce Change management is one of the most crucial parts of M&A.  When you don't plan for it; value creation is in jeopardy..  In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Michael DeVita , Business Value Advisor at Salesforce , talks about the change management process in M&A. Liked today's episode? Unlock over 50 courses taught by top-tier M&A practi...

Andrew Gratz , Chief Privacy Officer and Associate General Counsel at LyondellBasell Divesting a business is never easy. And while corporate development plays a huge role in the preparation, the legal team also plays a crucial role.  In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Andrew Gratz , Chief Privacy Officer, and Associate General Counsel at LyondellBasell , talks about what a divestiture loo...