M&A Science

By Kison Patel

What's M&A Science about?

M&A Science is an educational podcast exploring the intricate world of M&A with industry leaders and practitioners.

This podcast is sponsored by DealRoom, a diligence management and virtual data room platform for complex financial transactions.

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M&A Science episodes:

04.15.2024
Roll Up Strategy in Private Equity
Gerry Williams, Partner at DLA Piper US LLP and a member of their management committee. 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...
04.08.2024
Corporate Diversification Through M&A
Tyler Rodewald, VP, M&A; at EIS Holdings 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,...
04.01.2024
Performing Strategic Due Diligence in M&A
Andrey Galiuk, Vice President of Corporate Development and Investor Relations 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...
03.25.2024
How to Stand Up a Venture Capital Arm
George Kellerman, VP, Head of Investments & Acquisitions at Woven by Toyota and Alexander Baum, Corporate Development Lead at Woven by Toyota In the ever-evolving world of business, staying ahead isn't just about what a company does today, but...
03.18.2024
How to Achieve Strategic Alignment From Top to Bottom
Camilo Franco, Director, M&A; Integration and Operations at Jamf 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...
03.13.2024
Performing Cultural Due Diligence to Better Understand the Target Company
Ken Bond, Head of Corporate Development at Cetera Financial Group. 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...
03.11.2024
Strategic Alignment Between M&A and Corporate Strategy
Baljit Singh, Former SVP, Global Head of Corporate Development at Nielsen Ventures 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...
03.06.2024
Overcoming M&A Challenges
Douglas Barnard, former Executive Vice President, Corporate Development and Legal Advisor at CF Industries (NYSE: CF) 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...
03.04.2024
How Business Cycles Affect M&A Valuation
Allan Marks, Global Project, Energy & Infrastructure Partner at Milbank 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...
02.28.2024
Validating the Acquisition Plan
Adam Harris, CEO of Cloudbeds 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. In...
02.26.2024
Mastering M&A Integration
Seema Nimmagadda, Head of M&A; Integration for North America at Woven by Toyota. A lot of times, M&A; integration is considered only after closing the deal. It is often treated as an afterthought, and this approach is where many deal...
02.21.2024
Using M&A Best Practices to Get Better Deals
Brent Baxter, Chief Executive Officer at Association for Corporate Growth, and Jeff Giles, VP, Corporate Development at Core & Main (NYSE: CNM) In a highly competitive market, speed is crucial for companies wanting to do M&A.; Especially with all...
02.19.2024
Connecting Diligence and Integration in M&A
Amy M. Weck, VP, M&A; and integrations at The Liberty Company Insurance Brokers, LLC It's common to see due diligence and integration as separate stages, but combining them can make the M&A; process much smoother and more effective. But how...
02.14.2024
How to Bridge Valuation Gaps in M&A
John Blair, Partner M&A; Attorney at K&L; Gates In M&A;, it’s very common for buyers and sellers to disagree on the value of the business. If both parties cannot agree on the price, the deal could fall apart. However there...
02.12.2024
Transforming Existing Staff into M&A Experts
In the dynamic world of mergers and acquisitions (M&A;), creating an effective team is crucial for success. This process can be complex and demanding, but also immensely rewarding. After all, having an internal team means having the capability of acquiring...
02.07.2024
Negotiating Cross Border M&A
Jake Lin, Head of Corporate Development at Xendit Navigating cross border M&A; is one of the most challenging tasks for deal makers. There are a lot of intricacies involved that are unique to each country, and must be handled delicately. ...
02.05.2024
Achieving Business Growth Through Strategic M&A
Yoav Zeif, CEO at Stratasys In today’s competitive global market, organizations need to leverage every tool in their arsenal to stay ahead of the curve. One of the best ways to do this is strategic M&A.; With the right approach,...
01.31.2024
The Challenges of Sell-Side M&A
Russ Heddleston, Co-founder & former CEO, DocSend Every owner loves their business. This makes selling their company even harder than it already is. But aside from the emotional turmoil that founders go through every exit, there are also a lot...
01.29.2024
Pros and Cons for a Growth Company to Take PE Capital
Jason Mironov, Managing Director at TA Associates Partnering with PE firms is a great way to exponentially grow a business and reach new heights. However, there are considerations that must be taken into account, before taking PE capital. Fully understanding...
01.24.2024
Selling a Small Business Unit
Michael Frankel, Founder and Managing Partner of Trajectory Capital When times are good, big companies tend to ignore their smaller business units, as they operate smoothly on their own. It is only when the economy gets tough that these little...
01.22.2024
How to Create a Positive Exit Experience in M&A
Swapnil Shinde, CEO at Zeni Selling your business is never easy. Aside from the emotional stress that it provides, it can also be detrimental to the business if it's sold to the wrong company. Oftentimes, during the process, it can...
01.15.2024
Realizing Revenue Synergies in M&A
Chris Von Bogdandy, Global Lead M&A; Solutions at Slalom Revenue synergies are why you’re doing the deal in the first place. But unlike cost synergies that happen instantly, revenue synergies are more difficult to achieve and often go unrealized. One...
01.08.2024
Focusing on ESG in M&A
Casey Nault, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Chief ESG Officer at Coeur Mining, Inc. (NYSE: CDE) ESG in M&A; is very real. And while it is a fairly new term, it represents a range of critical issues and...
01.01.2024
How Not to Bomb Your First M&A Deal
Brock Blake, Co-Founder and CEO at Lendio M&A; is a never-ending web of complexities and challenges. While the potential for growth and transformation is promising, the chances of failure are extremely high. To increase chances of success, acquirers must learn...
12.25.2023
The Basics of M&A Integration Execution
Aaron Whiting, Chief of Staff at Crownpeak Value creation in any acquisition relies heavily on how well the M&A; integration goes. By focusing on integration, buyers can increase their chances of success in obtaining and realizing their intended synergies. But...
12.20.2023
ChatGPT Interview: AI's Impact on M&A
ChatGPT Voice, powered by OpenAI. This past year, AI has revolutionized the way we do things, and ChatGPT has been a big part of that. Created by OpenAI, ChatGPT can understand and use language like a human, making it extremely...
12.18.2023
Automation in M&A
Dr. Karl-Michael Popp, Senior Director, Corporate Development at SAP (FRA: SAP) In today's digital era, the pervasive influence of technology is felt in every facet of business, and Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A;) are no different. The arrival of innovation...
12.11.2023
Executing Smaller Deals and Negotiating Key Legal Provisions
Anthony Krueger, Associate at Morrison & Foerster LLP M&A; comes in varying sizes. However, there’s a common misconception that smaller deals are easier to execute than larger ones. The truth is, that smaller deals come with their own unique set...
12.04.2023
The Intricacies of M&A from Start to Finish
Rajive Dhar, VP, Head of Corporate Development at NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP) For first-time acquirers, M&A; can be challenging, as it comes with strenuous processes with many complexities that can turn the dream into a nightmare. However, with proper guidance, acquirers...
11.27.2023
M&A Surprises and Horror Stories
Jim Ackerman, recent Vice President of Corporate Development at Flex; Steve Coghlan, Semi-recent Vice President of Corporate Development at Flex. Every deal is different, which means each and everyone will present unique challenges that teams have to overcome. Especially...
11.20.2023
How Positive Relationships Can Drive Success in M&A
Nicole Markowski, Manager and Corporate Development at Wipfli LLP More than the numbers, relationships can make or break a deal. Regardless of the deal rationale, strong, trusting connections between parties can lead to smoother negotiations, clearer communication, and a greater...
11.13.2023
M&A from a CFO’s Perspective Session 2
Samuel Wilson, Chief Executive Officer at 8x8 (NASDAQ: EGHT) In the grand scheme of things, every M&A; must make financial sense. Whether it’s cutting cost, increasing revenue, or achieving operational efficiencies, it all boils down to the numbers. After...
11.06.2023
M&A from a CFO’s Perspective Session 1
David Barnes, Chief Financial Officer at Trimble Inc. (NASDAQ:TRMB) Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) play a pivotal role in shaping the destiny of strategic ventures. Beyond their traditional financial responsibilities, these financial architects hold the key to unlocking the full potential...
10.30.2023
The Big Shift from Corporate Development to Private Equity
Joe Metzger, Managing Director at 777 Partners Navigating a career shift can be a transformative experience, unlocking new opportunities and challenges. For Joe Metzger, Managing Director at 777 Partners, diving into the world of private equity was an exciting path...
10.23.2023
Integration Strategies in M&A Part 2
Chris Evans, Experienced M&A; Leader | former Head of CorpDev Integration at Amazon and Scott Boyd, Deputy Director, Strategy Implementation at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | former Head of Integration for AWS. (NASDAQ: AMZN) Change management is one...
10.16.2023
Integration Strategies in M&A Part 1
Chris Evans, Experienced M&A; Leader | former head of CorpDev Integration at Amazon and Scott Boyd, Deputy Director, Strategy Implementation at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | former Head of Integration for AWS. (NASDAQ: AMZN) In the complex world...
10.09.2023
Executing M&A in Healthcare
Roy Schoenberg, President & Co-CEO at Amwell - American Well Corporation (NYSE:AMWL) The healthcare industry is a complex and rigid space where change is often rejected. Any evolution in this sector not only signifies business decisions but also influences the...
10.02.2023
How to Balance Culture During an Integration
Mark Rayfield, CEO of Saint-Gobain North America (EPA: SGO) and CertainTeed Integration is not just about combining processes and systems. It is about bridging cultures and creating a shared identity. However, integrating two organizations can be complex, especially when it...
09.25.2023
Planning and Executing Your Exit as an Investor
Dr. Irit Yaniv, Founding Partner and CEO at Almeda Ventures (TLV: AMDA) While most investors have a passive role in their portfolio company, some investors are active in shaping and contributing to its success. For venture capitalists, one of...
09.18.2023
How PE Should Support Portfolio Company Acquisitions
Barak Routhenstein, Vice President of Corporate Development at Profile Products The collaboration between a Private Equity (PE) firm and a portfolio company during an acquisition is a powerful partnership. Together, they create a synergistic environment where growth and value thrive. ...
09.11.2023
The Art of M&A: Striking the Right Balance Between Integration and Autonomy
Glenn Sanford, CEO eXp World Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPI) For high-growth companies, M&A; is almost inevitable. If done right, it could speed up growth and open new opportunities for the acquiring entity. However, it’s not without challenges, as it can...
09.04.2023
Ensuring Alignment for Deal Success
Andrew Bilbao, current CFO of Noble Education Acquisition Corp. M&A; is a massive undertaking that calls for collaboration among numerous individuals. Ensuring alignment with everyone involved is essential for the success of a deal. Yet, with a variety of opinions...
08.28.2023
How a Public Equity Analyst Evolves to Executing M&A
Greg Stein, Vice President, M&A; and Strategy at Xerox (NASDAQ: XRX) For public equity analysts, M&A; is nothing new. One of their main jobs is to conduct financial analyses of companies and other potential investments. However, M&A; execution is another...
08.21.2023
The Challenges of Cross-Border Deals
Clifford Felig, Partner at Meitar | Law Offices. International business transactions often present unique challenges that are vastly different from local ones. The complexity increases exponentially when these transactions involve mergers and acquisitions (M&A;). In this episode of the M&A;...
08.14.2023
Tax Considerations in M&A
Lesley Adamo, Vice Chair of the Tax Group at Lowenstein Sandler LLP, The intricacies of tax considerations in a merger or acquisition (M&A;) transaction cannot be overstated. These considerations play a crucial role in shaping the overall economics and structure...
08.07.2023
How to do Deals in Latin America
Juan Guillermo Castaneda, former Senior Advisor to SKG CEO (LSEG: SKG) This episode is sponsored by the M&A; Science Academy, DealRoom, and FirmRoom. To join our growing online community of M&A; practitioners, visit www.mascience.com/academy. Ready to take your M&A;...
07.31.2023
The Path to Successful Equal Mergers
Scott Crofton, Partner at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP Too often, M&A; involves a larger entity acquiring a smaller business. Only a few believe that a merger of equal can be possible, especially considering the power struggle between the two companies....
07.24.2023
How To Create a Value Chain Ecosystem
Brian Matthews, CEO at ITEL In today's highly competitive business landscape, companies are constantly looking for ways to enhance their capabilities and maintain their edge. With so many competitors in the market, how can a company stand out and...
07.17.2023
Buying Carve-outs for Future Exits
Joe Covey, a serial CEO and acquirer, and investor since 1992. Matthew Davidge, the co-owner of the NBC Affiliate WVNC (Watertown, NY) and several other stations around the country. In big companies, some business units may not perform well and...
07.10.2023
How to Execute Product-Based Acquisitions
Andrew Morbitzer, VP/Head of Corporate Development at Typeform There are many different reasons why companies buy other entities. Traditionally, acquirers have focused more on the financial aspect of the target company. However, experience have shown that not all acquisitions are...

What's M&A Science about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

M&A Science episodes:

Roll Up Strategy in Private Equity

Corporate Diversification Through M&A

Performing Strategic Due Diligence in M&A

How to Stand Up a Venture Capital Arm

How to Achieve Strategic Alignment From Top to Bottom

Performing Cultural Due Diligence to Better Understand the Target Company

Strategic Alignment Between M&A and Corporate Strategy

Overcoming M&A Challenges

How Business Cycles Affect M&A Valuation

Validating the Acquisition Plan

Mastering M&A Integration

Using M&A Best Practices to Get Better Deals

Connecting Diligence and Integration in M&A

How to Bridge Valuation Gaps in M&A

Transforming Existing Staff into M&A Experts

Negotiating Cross Border M&A

Achieving Business Growth Through Strategic M&A

The Challenges of Sell-Side M&A

Pros and Cons for a Growth Company to Take PE Capital

Selling a Small Business Unit

How to Create a Positive Exit Experience in M&A

Realizing Revenue Synergies in M&A

Focusing on ESG in M&A

How Not to Bomb Your First M&A Deal

The Basics of M&A Integration Execution

ChatGPT Interview: AI's Impact on M&A

Automation in M&A

Executing Smaller Deals and Negotiating Key Legal Provisions

The Intricacies of M&A from Start to Finish

M&A Surprises and Horror Stories

How Positive Relationships Can Drive Success in M&A

M&A from a CFO’s Perspective Session 2

M&A from a CFO’s Perspective Session 1

The Big Shift from Corporate Development to Private Equity

Integration Strategies in M&A Part 2

Integration Strategies in M&A Part 1

Executing M&A in Healthcare

How to Balance Culture During an Integration

Planning and Executing Your Exit as an Investor

How PE Should Support Portfolio Company Acquisitions

The Art of M&A: Striking the Right Balance Between Integration and Autonomy

Ensuring Alignment for Deal Success

How a Public Equity Analyst Evolves to Executing M&A

The Challenges of Cross-Border Deals

Tax Considerations in M&A

How to do Deals in Latin America

The Path to Successful Equal Mergers

How To Create a Value Chain Ecosystem

Buying Carve-outs for Future Exits

How to Execute Product-Based Acquisitions