Brandon Batt – Chief People and Transformation Officer at Quadient
Brandon Batt joins us to discuss how successful M&A integration starts long before you sign an LOI. Brandon shares how Quadient built M&A capability across the organization through strategic hiring, created a transformation office that breaks down traditional silos, and executed portfolio transformation through dozens of acquisitions and divestitures. Learn why the secret to integration success isn't just about playbooks—it's about building M&A muscle into your team from day one.
Why hiring for M&A experience across your organization creates the foundation for deal success, even in roles that seem unrelated to corporate development
The transformation office model that eliminates the handoff problem
Why cultural "add" beats cultural "fit"
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M&A moved fast in 2025. But what actually changed?
We're collecting real insights from practitioners—not consultants on the sidelines—to understand how corp dev teams, PE firms, and advisors are adapting.
Takes 10 min. Get early access to results + chance at $500 gift card.
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____________________
This episode is brought to you by S&P Global.
Today's episode of M&A Science is brought to you by S&P Global Market Intelligence.
If you're in corp dev or PE, you know the pain — good private company data is hard to come by. Everyone's still chasing clean, reliable, up-to-date data. I started out using CapIQ Pro for public comps, but didn't realize until recently how deep their private company coverage has gotten. Over 58 million private companies, global reach, and actually usable for real deal work.
This isn't surface-level. You get real metrics — ownership, financials, funding rounds, even asset-level insights. So if you're still toggling between a dozen tools trying to piece together the picture, maybe it's time to stop guessing and start sourcing better.
Learn More Here:
https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/solutions/products/private-company-data?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=MAScienceH225
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[00:02:30] Building a Transformation Office – How Quadient structured M&A, HR, legal, and sustainability under one umbrella to drive seamless execution
[00:05:00] Portfolio Simplification Through M&A – Starting transformation with strategic divestitures before adding new capabilities through acquisitions
[00:10:00] The Pre-LOI Integration Planning Model – Why strategic operations teams get involved in due diligence from the beginning, not after the deal is signed
[00:16:00] Human Connection as M&A Secret Sauce – Building trust with founders and management teams before discussing price and terms
[00:21:00] Hiring for M&A Muscle – Why M&A readiness starts with recruiting people who have transaction experience across key business functions
[00:28:00] Evolving M&A Maturity – Getting more formal about talent assessment and playbooks while giving teams autonomy to move fast
[00:33:00] Founder-Led Business Challenges – Learning to structure deals and set expectations upfront when acquiring companies led by first-time sellers
[00:42:00] Collaboration Without Hierarchy – How "collaborate like crazy" became a cultural principle that breaks down silos in M&A execution
[00:47:00] Deal Story: Meeting in London During COVID – Why some deals still require getting on a plane, even during a pandemic
[00:51:00] AI in M&A and the Human Element – Balancing technology efficiency with the human intuition that uncovers critical deal insights
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Questions, comments, concerns?
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Rachel oversees transformative acquisitions for the global leader in industrial AI and enterprise software. In this episode, Rachel shares how IFS navigates the unique dynamics of having three major private equity backers—EQT, HG, and TA Associates—while executing strategic deals that enhance their portfolio. She breaks down IFS's four acquisition archetypes (product bolt-ons, customer migration, market entry, and new platforms), explains why integration and value creation must be separated, and reveals how the company is adapting its strategy for early-stage AI acquisitions. M&A professionals will learn how to build repeatable frameworks, maintain cultural continuity during integration, and balance stakeholder priorities in complex deal environments.
Things you will learn:
How to structure M&A around four distinct acquisition archetypes
Why separating systems integration from value creation
How to balance multiple PE stakeholder priorities
____________________
Share Your M&A Experience for the Chance at $500 Giftcard
M&A moved fast in 2025. But what actually changed?
We're collecting real insights from practitioners—not consultants on the sidelines—to understand how corp dev teams, PE firms, and advisors are adapting.
Takes 10 min. Get early access to results + chance at $500 gift card.
Share your experience: https://hubs.ly/Q03Rr89G0
____________________
Today’s episode of the M&A Science Podcast is brought to you by Grata!
Grata is the leading private market dealmaking platform. With its best-in-class AI workflows and investment-grade data, Grata helps investors, advisors, and strategic acquirers effortlessly discover, research, and connect with potential targets — all in one sleek, user-friendly interface.
Visit grata.com to learn more.
__________________
This episode is brought to you by S&P Global.
Today's episode of M&A Science is brought to you by S&P Global Market Intelligence.
If you're in corp dev or PE, you know the pain — good private company data is hard to come by. Everyone's still chasing clean, reliable, up-to-date data. I started out using CapIQ Pro for public comps, but didn't realize until recently how deep their private company coverage has gotten. Over 58 million private companies, global reach, and actually usable for real deal work.
This isn't surface-level. You get real metrics — ownership, financials, funding rounds, even asset-level insights. So if you're still toggling between a dozen tools trying to piece together the picture, maybe it's time to stop guessing and start sourcing better.
Learn More Here:
https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/solutions/products/private-company-data?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=MAScienceH225
__________________
[00:02:30] From Tax to Corp Dev – Rachel's unconventional path from PwC tax structuring to leading M&A at a global software company.
[00:05:00] Managing Three PE Backers – How IFS leverages deep support from EQT, HG, and TA Associates while navigating different investment horizons and exit expectations.
[00:12:30] Four Acquisition Archetypes – Breaking down IFS's strategic framework: product bolt-ons, customer migration, market entry, and new platform deals.
[00:18:00] The AI Acquisition Challenge – Why IFS acquired The Loops despite it being smaller and earlier-stage than typical targets, and what it means for their agentic platform.
[00:26:00] The Standalone Strategy – How IFS kept Poka as a standalone business to preserve culture and agility while still achieving cross-sell synergies.
[00:31:00] In-House Commercial Diligence – Why IFS brings dozens of people into due diligence and keeps most work in-house rather than outsourcing to consultants.
[00:37:30] Integration vs. Value Creation – The critical distinction between systems integration and value creation that determines whether deals hit their business case projections.
[00:43:00] Cultural Retention Tactics – From MacBooks to Slack, the small decisions that make or break retention of key talent in acquired companies.
[00:52:30] Building Trust Before the Deal – Why bilateral deals trump auction processes and how face-to-face relationship building accelerates transaction timelines.
[00:59:00] Corporate Venture 2.0 – How fast-moving AI markets are pushing IFS to consider series financing and call options instead of traditional full acquisitions.
__________________
Questions, comments, concerns?
Follow Kison Patel for behind-the-scenes insights on modern M&A.
Keith Crawford, Global Head of Corporate Development and M&A at State Street Corporation, brings over 20 years of expertise executing some of the most intricate custody business carve-outs in financial services. In this episode, Keith breaks down the realities of carve-out transactions—from proactive deal sourcing and dependency mapping to navigating TSAs and post-close integration. He shares hard-won lessons on avoiding common pitfalls like scope creep, third-party contract renegotiations, and employee retention challenges that can derail even the most promising deals.
Things You'll Learn
Why carve-out transactions demand bespoke approaches: No two deals are alike—discover how to identify the 20% of unknowns that templates can't capture and build flexibility into your diligence process.
How to source carve-out opportunities proactively: Learn State Street's strategy for targeting custody business carve-outs, including the "why us" narrative and who to approach (hint: not the business unit leader).
The integration secrets that prevent deal failure: From embedding integration experts early in diligence to managing employee retention and TSA timelines, Keith reveals how to align synergy assumptions with operational reality.
____________________
Share Your M&A Experience for the Chance at $500 Giftcard
M&A moved fast in 2025. But what actually changed?
We're collecting real insights from practitioners—not consultants on the sidelines—to understand how corp dev teams, PE firms, and advisors are adapting.
Takes 10 min. Get early access to results + chance at $500 gift card.
Share your experience: https://hubs.ly/Q03Rr89G0
____________________
This episode is brought to you by S&P Global.
Today's episode of M&A Science is brought to you by S&P Global Market Intelligence.
If you're in corp dev or PE, you know the pain — good private company data is hard to come by. Everyone's still chasing clean, reliable, up-to-date data. I started out using CapIQ Pro for public comps, but didn't realize until recently how deep their private company coverage has gotten. Over 58 million private companies, global reach, and actually usable for real deal work.
This isn't surface-level. You get real metrics — ownership, financials, funding rounds, even asset-level insights. So if you're still toggling between a dozen tools trying to piece together the picture, maybe it's time to stop guessing and start sourcing better.
Learn More Here:
https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/solutions/products/private-company-data?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=MAScienceH225
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Episode Chapters:
[00:03:30] From Accountant to M&A Leader – Keith's journey from audit to becoming a dealmaking general contractor
[00:06:00] The General Contractor Mindset – Why successful M&A requires orchestrating expert teams across tax, operations, IT, and risk
[00:06:30] The 80/20 Rule of Carve-Outs – Why templates work for most deals but the 20% whitespace requires bespoke analysis
[00:10:00] Third-Party Contract Landmines – How change-of-control provisions can blow up your valuation assumptions
[00:16:00] Building Strategic Alignment Early – Embedding integration experts into diligence to bridge deal models with operational reality
[00:23:00] Proactive Deal Sourcing Strategy – State Street's approach to targeting custody business carve-outs with a clear "why us" narrative
[00:35:00] Leveraging Banker Networks Strategically – How mid-tier investment banks often have better contacts for carve-out opportunities
[00:48:00] Culture Preservation in Integration – Lessons from the Charles River acquisition on maintaining employee morale and retention
[00:52:30] Major Deal Breakers – The two red flags that cause State Street to walk away from carve-out transactions
[00:55:00] The Craziest M&A Moment – A hospital room negotiation that almost derailed a major international carve-out
____________________
Questions, comments, concerns?
Follow Kison Patel for behind-the-scenes insights on modern M&A.
Tesia Hostetler – Leader, Acquisition Integration Practice, Cisco
Johanna Jaakola, Integration Lead on Cisco's Corporate Development Integration Team, and Tesia Hostetler, Leader of Cisco's Acquisition Integration Practice, continue their deep dive into Cisco's integration-led M&A framework. In Part 2, they reveal how integration planning shapes diligence, how value drivers guide surgical execution, and what it takes to coordinate a 180-person M&A community. From day one employee experience to go-to-market complexity and the Splunk mega-deal, this episode delivers practical frameworks for M&A professionals looking to accelerate value creation while protecting what matters most.
Things you will learn:
Learn how Cisco tests integration strategy during diligence and adjusts execution plans based on findings without losing sight of deal thesis
Discover how Cisco structures functional integration leaders, maintains alignment through recurring touchpoints, and tracks everything in a centralized M&A hub
Understand how to validate customer stories, align partner ecosystems, and make surgical decisions about when to integrate sales motions versus protecting existing revenue engines
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____________________
This episode is brought to you by S&P Global.
Today's episode of M&A Science is brought to you by S&P Global Market Intelligence.
If you're in corp dev or PE, you know the pain — good private company data is hard to come by. Everyone's still chasing clean, reliable, up-to-date data. I started out using CapIQ Pro for public comps, but didn't realize until recently how deep their private company coverage has gotten. Over 58 million private companies, global reach, and actually usable for real deal work.
This isn't surface-level. You get real metrics — ownership, financials, funding rounds, even asset-level insights. So if you're still toggling between a dozen tools trying to piece together the picture, maybe it's time to stop guessing and start sourcing better.
Learn More Here:
https://www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence/en/solutions/products/private-company-data?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=MAScienceH225
_______________
Questions, comments, concerns?
Follow Kison Patel for behind-the-scenes insights on modern M&A.