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M&A Science

M&A Science is a podcast exploring the intricate world of mergers and acquisitions with industry leaders and practitioners. With an unlimited access to our deal network, these interviews examine M&A trends, culture, and best practices. This podcast is sponsored by DealRoom, an M&A lifecycle management platform.
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Now displaying: Category: Business
Jun 5, 2023

David Hindley, VP of Corp Dev at Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK)

This episode is sponsored by the M&A Science Academy, DealRoom, and FirmRoom. 

To join our growing online community of M&A practitioners, visit https://www.mascience.com/academy. Don’t forget to use the code “podcast” at checkout. 

Ready to take your M&A to the next level with software made to manage each stage of the deal process? See how DealRoom can facilitate your next deal at https://www.dealroom.net.

FirmRoom provides 80% cost savings over VDRs that bill by page and delivers a far better user experience to boot. Sign up in under 2 minutes by going to https://www.firmroom.com

Episode Timestamps

00:00 Intro

05:00 The Evolution of M&A Functions

06:48 Deal experience as a Banker vs. Corp Dev

15:04 Leading an evolving M&A function

16:13 How the strategy evolved 

18:07 Scoring opportunities

19:28 Speeding up the evolution for efficiency

21:31 Working with functional leads

22:29 Aligning the functions

24:10 Business Units

25:08 Corporate Development structure

27:57 Accountability

29:11 Working with integration folks

32:41 Evolution of the governance model

33:56 Success metrics

35:42 Retaining deal learnings

37:04 The hiring process

40:19 Lessons learned

41:26 Craziest thing in M&A

 

May 29, 2023

Staci van Schagen, Head of M&A Integration & Disentanglement at Philips

This episode is sponsored by FirmRoom, the fastest virtual data room used to get deals done. Leave the pay-per-page world behind by going to https://firmroom.com/

Episode Timestamps

00:00 Intro

05:40 Running global Integrations

08:08 Adapting to different cultures

09:37 Fostering safety in IMO

11:31 Continuous Improvement

13:57 Delivering integration outcomes

18:16 Dealing with uncertainties during integration planning

20:52 Threshold for mistakes during integration

24:56 Using reflections to run integration

28:57 Deal sizes affecting preparations

31:51 Upskilling scenario planning

32:53 Craziest thing in M&A

 

May 22, 2023

Jeff Wald, Co-founder of Bento Engine

This episode is sponsored by the M&A Science Academy, DealRoom, and FirmRoom. 

To join our growing online community of M&A practitioners, visit https://www.mascience.com/academy. Don’t forget to use code “podcast” at checkout. 

Ready to take your M&A to the next level with software made to manage each stage of the deal process? See how DealRoom can facilitate your next deal at https://www.dealroom.net  

FirmRoom provides 80% cost savings over VDRs that bill by page and delivers a far better user experience to boot. Sign up in under 2 minutes by going to https://www.firmroom.com 

Episode Timestamps

00:00 Intro

03:44 Best practices during exits

04:41 Thinking about an exit

09:54 Engaging with investors

14:13 The path to being acquired

18:24 Tips for Outreach

19:49 First conversation

25:11 Key people when executing deals

29:00 Negotiating Law firm prices

30:16 Negotiating LOI

34:37 Confirmatory due diligence

37:06 Communicating with employees

39:13 Announce day

44:55 Integration

47:46 Craziest thing in M&A

 

May 15, 2023

Brent Campbell,  Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategy at Alight Solutions (NYSE: ALIT)

This episode is sponsored by the M&A Science Academy, DealRoom, and FirmRoom.

To join our growing online community of M&A practitioners, visit https://www.mascience.com/academy. Don’t forget to use the code “podcast” at checkout.

Ready to take your M&A to the next level with software made to manage each stage of the deal process? See how DealRoom can facilitate your next deal at https://www.dealroom.net.

FirmRoom provides 80% cost savings over VDRs that bill by page and delivers a far better user experience to boot. Sign up in under 2 minutes by going to https://www.firmroom.com

Episode Timestamps

00:00 Intro

05:46 Importance of Integration

07:38 Gaining integration perspective

10:12 Negative consequences of neglecting integration

12:53 How corporate development can focus on integration

15:38 Challenges in integration

18:22 Challenges in aligning stakeholders

21:04 HSR restrictions

22:27 Integration structure

24:19 Building the integration muscle

32:06 Business sponsor

34:02 How to measure integration success

37:13 Craziest thing in M&A

 

May 8, 2023

Klint Kendrick, HR and M&A Leader | Keynote Speaker | Author of the HR Practitioners Guides to Mergers & Acquisitions

This episode is sponsored by the M&A Science Academy, DealRoom, and FirmRoom. 

To join our growing online community of M&A practitioners, visit https://www.mascience.com/academy. Don’t forget to use code “podcast” at checkout. 

Ready to take your M&A to the next level with software made to manage each stage of the deal process? See how DealRoom can facilitate your next deal at https://www.dealroom.net.

FirmRoom provides 80% cost savings over VDRs that bill by page and delivers a far better user experience to boot. Sign up in under 2 minutes by going to https://www.firmroom.com.

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Intro

05:30 The role of HR in M&A

09:55 Importance of identifying a potential culture clash

12:40 Cultural due diligence

17:27 Pre-LOI cultural diligence

22:09 Finding culture fit

24:48 Five Areas of culture clash

49:39 Deal-specific considerations

59:48 Taking findings that impact the deal terms

1:02:55 Assessing the level of cultural diligence

1:05:40 Transformative deals

1:09:44 The secret sauce to overcoming culture clash

1:12:44 Craziest thing in M&A

 

May 1, 2023

PJ Patel, Co-CEO & Senior Managing Director at Valuation Research Corporation (VRC)

This episode is sponsored by the M&A Science Academy, DealRoom, and FirmRoom.

To join our growing online community of M&A practitioners, visit https://www.mascience.com/academy. Don’t forget to use code “podcast” at checkout.

Ready to take your M&A to the next level with software made to manage each stage of the deal process? See how DealRoom can facilitate your next deal at https://www.dealroom.net 

FirmRoom provides 80% cost savings over VDRs that bill by page and delivers a far better user experience to boot. Sign up in under 2 minutes by going to https://www.firmroom.com

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Intro

08:37 Market Trends

11:15 Maximizing your company’s valuation

12:24 Growth vs Cash flow

13:35 The effect of Storytelling on valuations

14:27 Investor’s Influence on Valuation

17:14 Things to avoid as an operator

19:14 Common Mistakes in Valuation

20:53 Impairment

23:42 Implications of impairment

25:49 Purchase price allocation

29:05 Earnout structures

32:34 Length of earnouts

32:51 Computing for Earnouts

38:33 Negotiating Earnouts

41:06 Craziest thing in M&A

 

Apr 24, 2023

Sam Youssef,  Founder and CEO at Valsoft Corporation

This episode is sponsored by the M&A Science Academy, DealRoom, and FirmRoom.

To join our growing online community of M&A practitioners, visit https://www.mascience.com/academy. Don’t forget to use code “podcast” at checkout.

Ready to take your M&A to the next level with software made to manage each stage of the deal process? See how DealRoom can facilitate your next deal at https://www.dealroom.net

FirmRoom provides 80% cost savings over VDRs that bill by page and delivers a far better user experience to boot. Sign up in under 2 minutes by going to https://www.firmroom.com

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Intro

05:44 Looking at business through a different lens

09:19 Distinguishing good acquirers

11:17 Identifying the right segment and deal size

15:07 Platform play acquisition

19:57 Approaching target companies

23:16 Financial structure

26:09 Challenges in building an M&A muscle

29:42 Driving value from synergies

30:56 Getting the right people

32:49 Sharing learnings

38:39 Craziest thing in M&A

 

Apr 17, 2023

Kevin Griffin, Executive Director, Corporate Development at JLL (NYSE: JLL)

This episode is sponsored by the M&A Science Academy, DealRoom, and FirmRoom.

To join our growing online community of M&A practitioners, visit https://www.mascience.com/academy. Don’t forget to use code “podcast” at checkout.

Ready to take your M&A to the next level with software made to manage each stage of the deal process? See how DealRoom can facilitate your next deal at https://www.dealroom.net .

FirmRoom provides 80% cost savings over VDRs that bill by page and delivers a far better user experience to boot. Sign up in under 2 minutes by going to https://www.firmroom.com 

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Intro

04:15 Focusing on smaller deals

06:48 Sourcing deals

08:10 Pros and cons of a competitive auction process

15:47 Cons of doing a proprietary deal

18:35 Benefits of doing a proprietary deal

22:15 Relationship problems

23:24 Proprietary deals vs auctions

25:32 Educating founders on the deal process

26:13 Working with lawyers

27:40 Biggest challenge when educating founders

29:42 Valuation

31:09 Negotiation

34:49 Earnouts

41:45 Making earnouts successful

43:19 Retention with smaller companies

44:17 Best Practices to retain people

46:08 Craziest thing in M&A

 

Apr 10, 2023

Marilyne H. O'Hara, Global Head of M&A Integration at Block (NYSE: SQ)

This episode is sponsored by the M&A Science Academy, DealRoom, and FirmRoom. 

To join our growing online community of M&A practitioners, visit https://www.mascience.com/academy. Don’t forget to use code “podcast” at checkout. 

Ready to take your M&A to the next level with software made to manage each stage of the deal process? See how DealRoom can facilitate your next deal at https://www.dealroom.net . 

FirmRoom provides 80% cost savings over VDRs that bill by page and delivers a far better user experience to boot. Sign up in under 2 minutes by going to https://www.firmroom.com 

If you’re a head of corporate development and looking to build up a world-class M&A team, reach out to me at kison@mascience.com.

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Intro

05:20 What is People-Focused Integration

06:02 Ideal Integration Process

08:46 Strong Partnerships With Deal Leads

12:25 Consequences of Late Integration

14:53 Building the Integration Team

20:41 Involving the Integration Team

22:29 Integration Led Diligence

24:07 Building an Agile Team

28:30 Understanding Culture

30:49 Culture Shaping Integration

31:44 Red Flags in Culture Fit

32:46 Best Practices When Onboarding People 

39:06 Working with Vendors for People-Focused Integration

40:12 Biggest Challenge

40:36 Advice for First Timer

41:23 Craziest thing in M&A

 

Apr 3, 2023

Nadia Gil, Chief of Strategic Planning and Corporate Development at Brady (NYSE:BRC)

This episode is sponsored by the M&A Science Academy, DealRoom, and FirmRoom. 

To join our growing online community of M&A practitioners, visit https://www.mascience.com/academy. Don’t forget to use code “podcast” at checkout. 

Ready to take your M&A to the next level with software made to manage each stage of the deal process? See how DealRoom can facilitate your next deal at https://www.dealroom.net . 

FirmRoom provides 80% cost savings over VDRs that bill by page and delivers a far better user experience to boot. Sign up in under 2 minutes by going to https://www.firmroom.com 

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Intro

04:01 Why large companies are focusing on acquiring startups

10:36 Why startups don't thrive in a larger company

13:15 Factors to consider when acquiring a startup

17:28 Factors that make startups unacquirable

21:35 Preserving startups in the larger company

24:41 Joint planning approach

26:35 Keys to a strong relationship

29:44 How can large companies protect the acquired small company

32:19 Integration

34:13 Compensation

38:49 How startups can protect themselves

40:48 When to walk away

46:29 How to mitigate the risk of destroying a small company

48:06 Craziest thing in M&A

 

Mar 27, 2023

Michael Farlekas is the CEO at E2open

Have someone in mind that would be perfect to help build out a new on-demand talent service line at M&A Science? Reach out to Kison at kison@mascience.com  

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Introduction

02:24 Background

04:58 14 transactions without a dedicated Corp Dev team

08:47 Networking and scoring the deals

14:34 The hunting part

20:45 Restructuring the business for faster integration

22:04 Approach to due diligence

24:10 Key things to look at pre and post-LOI

25:15 Considering the culture and the people aspect

27:34 Integration

30:20 Budgeting Integration cost

32:19 Go-to-Market Integration

34:14 Acquiring away from the core

36:13 Keys to success

37:38 Go-To-Market Framework

39:54 Advice for first-time acquirers

44:33 Craziest thing in M&A

 

Mar 20, 2023

Chris Evans is the former Head of Corporate Development Integration at Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN)

Have someone in mind that would be perfect to help build out a new on-demand talent service line at M&A Science? Reach out to Kison at kison@mascience.com

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS: 

0:00 Introduction

5:32 How Important is Day One

10:40 What happens on Day One

14:59 Integration North Star

16:25 What Success on Day One looks like  

21:00 Introducing the Integration Manager

25:43 Engaging the managers

31:08 Keeping the big picture alignment

35:30 Identifying the faces of the acquiring company

37:34 Sharing the Integration Plan

40:45 Connecting the value drivers to integration 

45: 20 The biggest challenge on Day One

48:34 What is Day One of Day One in Amazon 

52: 28 Craziest thing in M&A

 

Mar 13, 2023

Sarah Thuo, Chief Operating Officer of IBM Sustainability Services

As the business world shifts towards a more environmentally and socially conscious approach, the significance of sustainability in M&A has become increasingly prominent. In light of this, companies are now considering the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives of their target companies before making any acquisitions.

In this article, we explore the importance of sustainability in M&A and how to perform sustainability diligence, with insights from Sarah Thuo, Chief Operating Officer of IBM Sustainability Services.

This episode is sponsored by our new publication: How to Stand Up an M&A Function.Topics include the order of hiring, establishing your operating model, developing your organization's integration muscle, and more. Find it on Amazon: shorturl.at/jBCW1

Mar 6, 2023

Michael Nov, Head of Corporate Development & Chief of Staff to the CTO at OwnBackup

M&A is a game-changing tool that can propel a company's growth several years ahead of schedule. However, for hyper-growth companies, M&A can also be a double-edged sword that leads to attrition and detracts from the core business objectives. 

In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Michael Nov, Head of Corporate Development & Chief of Staff to the CTO at OwnBackup, discusses how to set up M&A for hyper-growth companies. 

This episode is sponsored by the M&A Science Academy. Check out corporate training plans to connect your team with M&A knowledge straight from the best in the industry. They'll also gain access to the entire M&A Science community. For information on group plans, visit https://ma-science.webflow.io/podcast-commercial

 

Feb 27, 2023

Pat Belotti, VP of Corporate Development Integration at Zendesk.

The go-to-market (GTM) integration strategy has a large impact on revenue generation and overall deal success. Integration can be very disruptive to the customers, but if done right, it can enhance the customer experience and acquisition results.

In this episode of the M&A Science podcast, Pat Belotti, VP of Corporate Development Integration at Zendesk, delves into the intricacies of GTM integration and offers valuable insights on how to approach it.

This episode is sponsored by our new publication: How to Stand Up an M&A Function. Topics include the order of hiring, establishing your operating model, developing your organization's integration muscle, and more. Find it on Amazon: shorturl.at/jBCW1

Feb 20, 2023

Pat Belotti, VP of Corporate Development Integration at Zendesk

M&A integration in tech has changed quite a bit over the last twenty years. Integration has evolved from integration volunteers, to large teams with detailed tracking, to dedicated teams and Agile approaches. 

In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Pat Belotti, VP of Corporate Development Integration at Zendesk, delves into the evolution of integration. 

This episode is sponsored by our new publication: How to Stand Up an M&A Function. Topics include the order of hiring, establishing your operating model, developing your organization's integration muscle, and more. Find it on Amazon: shorturl.at/jBCW1

 

Feb 13, 2023

Windy Nicholson, Technology Leader | Mergers and Acquisitions at Salesforce (NYSE: CRM)

Acquisitions present unique challenges, but deal lifecycle processes can still be optimized for efficiency. Timeliness is a crucial factor in M&A, and the quicker a deal closes and integration is completed, the faster deal synergies can be achieved. 

In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Windy Nicholson, the Technology Leader for Mergers and Acquisitions at Salesforce, discusses how to improve an IMO for efficiency. 

This episode is sponsored by our new publication: How to Stand Up an M&A Function.Topics include the order of hiring, establishing your operating model, developing your organization's integration muscle, and more. Find it on Amazon: shorturl.at/jBCW1

 

Feb 9, 2023

Andy Wijaya, Senior Director, M&A at KLA (NASDAQ: KLAC)

Managing a deal from start to finish requires a strategic approach and the ability to navigate the nuances of each phase. 

In this 2-part episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Andy Wijaya, Senior Director, M&A at KLA,  talks about managing deals from strategy to closing, and dives deep into key stages of acquisition.

"This episode is sponsored by the M&A Science Academy. Check out corporate training plans to connect your team with M&A knowledge straight from the best in the industry. They'll also gain access to the entire M&A Science community. For information on group plans, visit https://ma-science.webflow.io/podcast-commercial

 

Feb 6, 2023

Andy Wijaya, Senior Director, M&A at KLA (NASDAQ: KLAC)

Managing the multi-faceted process of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) can be a daunting task, especially for those in charge of overseeing the entire process.

In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Andy Wijaya, Senior Director of M&A at KLA, discusses how to manage deals from strategy to closing. 

This episode is sponsored by our new publication: How to Stand Up an M&A Function. Topics include the order of hiring, establishing your operating model, developing your organization's integration muscle, and more. Find it on Amazon: shorturl.at/jBCW1

Feb 2, 2023

Yvanna Perez-Morel, Sr. Director of Corporate Development at Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ: ULTA) | Managing Director at Prisma Ventures

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, Sr. Director of Corporate Development at Ulta Beauty | Managing Director at Prisma Ventures, discusses alternative strategies to accelerate growth.

This episode is sponsored by our new publication: How to Stand Up an M&A Function. Topics include the order of hiring, establishing your operating model, developing your organization's integration muscle, and more. Find it on Amazon: shorturl.at/jBCW1

Jan 30, 2023

Michael Frankel, Founder and Managing Partner of Trajectory Capital

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. 

We want to feature our listeners over the coming months on social media. If you’re a big fan, we’d love to hear about your favorite episode or something valuable you learned from M&A Science. You can send me an email directly at kison@mascience.com

Jan 26, 2023

Guy Fisher, Head of Corporate Development at Suncorp Group (ASX: SUN)

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. 

"Speed and efficiency create better outcomes. It reduces confusion and the time for external factors to impact the value of the deal and increases certainty." – Guy Fisher

We want to feature our listeners over the coming months on social media. If you’re a big fan, we’d love to hear about your favorite episode or something valuable you learned from M&A Science. You can send me an email directly at kison@mascience.com

Jan 23, 2023

Thomas Gorman, Strategy & Corporate Development at Pantheon Platform

Mark Khavkin, CFO at Pantheon Platform

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, Strategy & Corporate Development at Pantheon Platform, and Mark Khavkin, CFO at Pantheon Platform, discusses executing acquihires.

We want to feature our listeners over the coming months on social media. If you’re a big fan, we’d love to hear about your favorite episode or something valuable you learned from M&A Science. You can send me an email directly at kison@mascience.com

Jan 19, 2023

Josh Holleman, Partner at Cooley LLP

In recent years, there has been a surge in using reps & warranty insurance in M&A, especially in private deals. Buyers and sellers can save significant time and money using reps and warranties insurance.

In this episode of the M&A Science podcast, Josh Holleman, Partner at Cooley LLP, discusses how to approach reps and warranties insurance.

This episode is sponsored by FirmRoom, the fastest virtual data room used to get deals done. Leave the pay-per-page world behind by going to https://firmroom.com/

Jan 16, 2023

Ken Bond, Head of Corporate Development at Cetera Financial Group

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, Head of Corporate Development at Cetera Financial Group, discusses the key things to consider during pre-LOI conversations.

We want to feature our listeners over the coming months on social media. If you’re a big fan, we’d love to hear about your favorite episode or something valuable you learned from M&A Science. You can send me an email directly at kison@mascience.com

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