The M&A Science Podcast

Acquisitions are not the only way companies can achieve growth. Partnerships are a great way for organizations to grow their organic growth capabilities. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Yvanna Perez-Morel, former Sr. Director of Corporate Development at Ulta Beauty

Establishing strong connections with a target company is essential in M&A. Securing deals can be challenging, but a strategic approach can result in mutually beneficial outcomes. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Michael Frankel, Founder and Managing Partner of Trajectory Capital, shares his approach to deal-making from first conversations to LOI.

In order for an M&A process to be successful, there must be effective governance in place. Governance is used to manage risks, and ensure that key stakeholders are well-informed and able to provide appropriate oversight throughout a transaction. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Guy Fisher, Head of Corporate Development at Suncorp Group, shares his expertise in setting M&A governance up for efficiency.

Acquiring a company is complex and challenging, and in some instances, unnecessary. If buyers only need the people inside of a target company, they can do an acquihire instead of a traditional acquisition. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Thomas Gorman, former Strategy & Corporate Development at Pantheon Platform, and Mark Khavkin, former CFO at Pantheon Platform, discusses executing acquihires.

In recent years, there has been a surge in using reps & warranty insurance in M&A, especially in private deals. This episode will discuss how to approach reps and warranties insurance, featuring Josh Holleman, Partner at Cooley LLP.

Before buyers and sellers agree to an LOI, there are many informal conversations that happen in the background. Buyers must carefully approach any informal conversations to avoid turning a buyer off while still securing the deal. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Ken Bond, former Head of Corporate Development at Cetera Financial Group, discusses the key things to consider from first conversations to LOI in M&A.

Today, more than 20 reps and warranty insurance companies exist. And unlike before, they are now willing to cover the entire suite of reps and warranties to replace the indemnification provisions in a traditional purchase agreement. So are they worth it? Should buyers consider reps and warranty insurance on all their deals? In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Gitanjali Pundir, Vice President, Global Corporate Development and M&A at Visa, discusses reps and warranties insurance from a business perspective.

Deal origination requires a well-planned strategy, and starts with informal conversations with a potential target. In this episode, Jeremy Segal, Executive Vice President of Corporate Development at Progress, discusses what happens behind the scenes between the first conversation to LOI in M&A.

Executing acquisitions without a dedicated function is highly inefficient and results in failed deals. Companies should not purely rely on inbound opportunities, and need strategic teams dedicated to sourcing deals. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Veena Ramaswamy, former Head of Corporate Development at Lemonade, discusses how to create a corporate development function.

M&A is an excellent tool for growing a company. Still, acquirers should consider a variety of strategies before committing to a transaction. Choosing the right growth approach also dictates any integration plans. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Rohit Dave, Head of Corporate Development at Block, discusses executing various M&A strategies and how to get buy-in from leadership.

The integration stage of the deal lifecycle is when teams can achieve a transaction's desired synergies. In this episode, Cara Bibbiani, Senior Director, Corporate Development, M&A Integration at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, discusses how to efficiently execute M&A Integration.

Standing up a corporate development function from scratch is a challenging, yet exciting task. And one of the pillars of a successful M&A function is a solid team who can effectively run deals. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Kevin Barnes, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development at Premier, discusses how to create an M&A team structure

Corporate development and integration roles consist of different responsibilities. Yet, understanding both roles can help practitioners become more effective at deal execution. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Kerry Perez, Head of Enterprise Strategy at AMN Healthcare, discusses her M&A career path and how to transition roles in M&A, during which she experienced a variety of roles.

Integrating an acquired company is always challenging. Acquirers must execute quickly and efficiently, navigate changes, and preserve the target company's value. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Caroline Jones, Senior Director - Acquisition Success at Cisco, discusses how to accelerate M&A integration.

A strong deal strategy doesn't guarantee success. Integration is where value is created and must be prioritized from the very beginning of a deal. In this episode of the M&A Science podcast, Darrell Heaps, CEO at Q4 Inc, discusses how to tie M&A strategy and integration together.

There needs to be alignment from both sides of a deal in order to have a smooth integration process. In this interview, Don Yakulis, Global Head of M&A Integration at Light and Wonder, discusses the importance of achieving alignment from both teams during M&A integration.

Achieving revenue synergies should always be a transaction’s top priority. By leveraging the combined customer base of both companies, and combining the marketing and sales efforts, companies can become a much more powerful force in the marketplace. In this two-part M&A Science Podcast episode, James Harris, Principal, Corporate Development Integration at Google, discusses GTM integration planning.

When two businesses merge, the new company's success often depends on how well the go-to-market plan is executed. The combined company inherits the two businesses’ customers, products, and respective sales and marketing channels. If not planned properly, the combined efforts can lead to customer confusion and lost sales. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, James Harris, Principal, of Corporate Development Integration at Google, discusses GTM integration planning.

There are different ways to create and grow a business: build up from scratch, acquire another company, or gain strategic alignment with other companies through partnerships. Through a partnership, a business can leverage someone else's technology for faster growth. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Larry Forman, Senior Manager and Head of the Ecosystem for Deloitte's New Venture Accelerator, discusses corporate venture capital strategy.

Auction processes in M&A are very challenging for strategic buyers, and corporate development teams need more than a compelling offer to compete in an auction. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Kirti Gavri, former Head of Corporate Development for Wizeline, discusses how to run an accelerated deal process.

Selling a business has risks, but with the right approach, continued success is achievable. In this interview, Tim Wentworth, Retired CEO of Cigna, formerly known as Express Scripts, discusses how to strategize and execute an exit for a team's greater good.

Teams need to understand how strategy can impact the entire process in order to be successful in M&A. In this interview, Hannah Elsakr, Vice President, Corporate Development, M&A Integration at Adobe, discusses executing successful end-to-end M&A.

Strategy is arguably the most important aspect of M&A, and strategy alignment across the board is vital. In this interview, Benjamin Orthlieb, Vice President and Head of Corporate Development at Linkedin, discusses Linkedin’s bottoms-up deal origination model.

Integration is where value is created regardless of what happened during negotiations and diligence. However, an acquirer can destroy a target company if integration is poorly executed. Therefore, ensuring the acquired business is in good hands is imperative. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Keith Crawford, Global Head of Corporate Development / M&A - State Street, discusses how to execute an effective M&A integration handoff.

Having an Agile M&A strategy is a key component of being a proactive acquirer and rapidly growing companies. In this interview, Daniel Gittsovich, Vice President, Corporate Strategy & Development at L3Harris Technologies, discusses how to create an Agile M&A strategy.