M&a Science

Andy Cohen, Vice President of Corporate Development at F5 Andy has built a career that proves M&A is fundamentally about relationships, not just transactions. With 30 years of experience and 60 deals closed across high-growth tech companies including Citrix, Acquia, and F5, Andy has cultivated the kind of reputation where every CEO he's worked with will take his call tomorrow. In this conversation, he reveals why zero-sum thinking kills deals, how to convince people to sell without convincing them to sell, and why walking away on principle matters more than closing at any cost.  Things you will learn:  Why reputation is your most valuable M&A asset The shift from zero-sum to win-enough thinking Learn Andy's approach to using due diligence as the foundation for integration strategy, cultural fit assessment, and long-term value creation.  _____________

In this special father-daughter episode, My daughter interviews me on my new book on Buyer-Led M&A™. We break down the framework built from over 400 practitioner interviews—covering why traditional M&A is flawed, how to shift from reactive auction-chasing to proactive deal sourcing, and why integration planning must begin during diligence.

Sharon Van Zeeland, Vice President of Strategy and Corporate Development at Rockwell Automation Sharon brings a unique engineer's perspective to the softest parts of M&A. In this episode, Sharon reveals how Rockwell developed a systematic scoring system for evaluating culture fit during due diligence—complete with numerical rankings across key dimensions like decision-making authority, adaptability, and mission alignment. She also shares unconventional tactics for getting deals across the finish line, from negotiating hunting rights to sponsoring 4th of July parades, and explains why marrying your diligence and integration teams early is the secret to accelerating post-deal value creation. Things You'll Learn How to build a numerical scoring system for culture assessment Why marrying your diligence and integration leaders from day one eliminates knowledge chasms, captures integration costs in your deal model, and helps you reach steady state faster than traditional handoffs Creative negotiation tactics

Leon Brujis, Partner and Co-Head of U.S. at 65 Equity Partners Leon Brujis shares how his firm is redefining private equity through non-control investments in founder-led businesses. In this conversation, Leon breaks down why the best companies are never for sale, how immigrant adaptability translates to investing success, and why boring, disciplined deal-making consistently outperforms flashy transactions. He also walks through his framework for negotiating term sheets and building relationships that span years before cutting checks north of $200 million. Things You'll Learn Why non-control "partnership capital" allows PE firms to capture the alpha of founder-led companies that outperform by 3x How to structure competitive fundraising processes that balance relationship-building with deal tension—without talking to 60 firms The five-point framework for negotiating term sheets: value, structure, governance, strategy alignment, and exit planning ____________________ This episode is brought to you by S&P

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. Things You'll Learn 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"  ____________________ 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 ins

 Rachel Hindley, Vice President of Corporate Development, IFS  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 stakehol

Keith Crawford, Global Head of Corporate Development and M&A at State Street Corporation 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,

Johanna Jaakola – Integration Lead, Corporate Development Integration Team, Cisco 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 a

Johanna Jaakola – Integration Lead, Corporate Development Integration Team, Cisco 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, share how one of the world's most prolific acquirers structures deals for success. This episode breaks down Cisco's integration-led diligence model, where integration leads orchestrate due diligence from the deal thesis stage, ensuring strategic alignment and execution readiness before ink hits paper. Learn how Cisco's structured approach to integration strategy, two-stage approvals, and tight feedback loops between strategy and execution have transformed their M&A outcomes—with insights from their $28 billion Splunk acquisition. Things You'll Learn Why integration leads should orchestrate diligence  How creating an integration thesis alongside your deal thesis ensures every diligence question tests s

Tim Hall - Managing Partner and Founder, Brenton Point Capital Tim brings 29 years of private equity experience to this conversation about what actually works in buy-and-build strategies. After launching Brenton Point in 2024 following a 20-year run at CI Capital Partners, where he completed 200+ acquisitions across 12 platforms, Tim breaks down the independent sponsor model and why integration—not just aggregation—is the real value driver. He walks through building platforms from scratch, the executive-first strategy for fragmented markets, and how standardized integration playbooks turn acquired companies into cohesive, high-performing businesses. Things You'll Learn Why independent sponsors can outperform traditional PE funds through concentrated investments, longer hold periods, and direct alignment with management teams earning 15% equity upside versus the typical 10% The difference between roll-ups and consolidation and why integration excellence separates winning platforms from aggregated disaster

Stefan Williams - Vice President of Corporate Development and Snowflake Ventures at Snowflake Stefan Williams, Vice President of Corporate Development and Snowflake Ventures at Snowflake, leads the company's acquisition strategy, corporate venture capital, and startup accelerator programs. In this episode, Stefan takes us inside Snowflake's disciplined, culture-first approach to M&A—from building the corporate development function from scratch to executing 20+ acquisitions while maintaining breakneck organic growth. He shares hard-won lessons on integration accountability, why relationships matter more than auctions, and how to balance proactive deal-making with the realities of a fast-moving AI landscape. Things You'll Learn Start small and build M&A muscle – Why Snowflake began with sub-50 person acquisitions to prove integration capabilities before scaling to larger, more complex deals Integration accountability drives success – The critical importance of assigning DRIs (Directly Responsible I

Hilary Shirazi - Head of Corporate Development at Notion Hilary Shirazi, Head of Corporate Development at Notion, brings over a decade of M&A experience from LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Zendesk to discuss building corporate development strategy at high-growth tech companies. She shares her proven deal thesis methodology, the "Four T's" framework for categorizing acquisitions, and why integration without an IMO might be the better approach for agile teams. Things you will learn: The Deal Thesis Framework – How to crystallize strategy before identifying targets using Hilary's proven document template The Four T's of M&A – Talent, Tech, Traction, and Terrain categories that determine your acquisition approach and integration strategy Integration Without IMO – Why embedding integration throughout the process beats traditional handoff models for most deals ___________________ The Buyer-Led M&A™ Summit is back.The virtual event built for dealmakers who want to eliminate chaos and take control from

Jennifer Miller - Senior Director of Corporate Development, Oshkosh Corporation Jennifer Miller, Senior Director of Corporate Development at Oshkosh Corporation, brings over 24 years of M&A experience spanning investment banking, boutique advisory, and corporate development. In this episode, she reveals how Oshkosh evolved their corporate venture capital approach from CVC 1.0's financial focus to CVC 2.0's strategic innovation partnerships. Jennifer shares practical insights on managing 400+ deal flow annually, structuring IP agreements, and balancing minority investments with traditional M&A within a single corporate development function.  Things You'll Learn CVC 2.0 Framework: How to evolve from pure financial returns to strategic innovation partnerships that accelerate technology adoption Deal Flow Management: Systematic approach to evaluate 400+ companies annually using thematic prioritization and rapid technical diligence IP Structuring: Strategic methods for negotiating exclusivity, co-de

Nicole Markowski - Former Director of Business Integration and Operations, Wipfli Join Nicole as she shares unvarnished truths from managing 30+ transactions. Nicole reveals how integration-led diligence prevents value destruction, why traditional deal economics often miss critical human factors, and practical strategies for maintaining the human touch while scaling M&A programs from 3 to 16 concurrent deals. Things You'll Learn Why integration leaders must be involved in deal economics discussions to prevent value destruction How to scale M&A operations from 2-3 to 16+ concurrent deals without losing the human touch The critical difference between project managers and true integration leaders in M&A success ____________________ The Buyer-Led M&A™ Summit is back.The virtual event built for dealmakers who want to eliminate chaos and take control from sourcing through integration.

Byron Lichtenstein, Managing Director at Insight Partners Byron brings over a decade of experience scaling M&A operations across one of the world's leading software investors. In this episode, Byron breaks down how Insight executes buyer-led M&A at scale, supporting CEOs across their 500+ portfolio companies from sourcing through integration. He shares frameworks for strategic positioning, the critical difference between types of M&A deals, and why strategy must drive every acquisition decision. M&A professionals will learn how to build repeatable M&A processes and avoid the common trap of unfocused deal-making. Things You'll Learn Strategic positioning framework: How to "write the S-1 on day one" and create a clear 5-year vision that guides every M&A decision M&A categorization strategy: The three core types of M&A (market consolidation, product expansion, geographic expansion) and how to execute each differently Integration execution: Why integration must be 100% of someone

Javier Enrile, Managing Director of M&A at TIAA In this episode, he breaks down the art and science of thinking like a strategic buyer—from building proprietary deal pipelines through relationship-first sourcing to using sophisticated valuation techniques that separate intrinsic value from market noise. Javier reveals why patient relationship building beats aggressive auction processes, how to structure deals that protect against downside risk, and the critical integration between valuation, diligence, and deal structuring that separates successful acquirers from the rest. Things you will learn: How to build proprietary deal flow through relationship-first sourcing that creates competitive advantages over auction processes The framework for separating standalone intrinsic value from synergy premiums using DCF analysis, especially in cross-border situations Deal structuring tools like priority returns, earnouts, and rep & warranty policies that protect buyers when deals underperform _____________ Tod

Xavier Gury, Founding Partner at Wind Xavier Gury, founding partner at Wind venture capital firm, brings a unique triple perspective to M&A: serial entrepreneur, acquisition target, and now investor. In this episode, Xavier unpacks the critical lessons from his three successful exits, including one transformative deal with Publicis, where he structured a performance-based earnout that prioritized terms over upfront valuation. The conversation reveals why 90% of the deal value came through earnout performance, how to align teams during integration, and the strategic mistakes buyers make when acquiring founder-led companies. M&A professionals will learn practical frameworks for structuring deals that actually work post-close. Things You'll Learn Why deal terms matter more than valuation – and how Xavier structured an earnout where only 10% was paid upfront The "yin yang" principle for balanced M&A deals that create value for both buyer and seller How to incentivize key employees during earnout pe

Arash Attar-Rezvani - M&A Partner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP In part two of this masterclass conversation, Arash Attar-Rezvani gets into the execution challenges that separate successful M&A practitioners from the rest. From deconstructing French labor consultation myths to revealing how AI will reshape legal advisory models, this segment delivers actionable frameworks for advanced deal execution.  Things You'll Learn How to structure aggressive workforce reduction plans within French labor laws and turn compliance into deal terms The psychology of cross-cultural deal-making and why listening trumps being the loudest voice in the room How AI will reshape M&A legal services and why success fees may replace hourly billing _____________________

Arash Attar-Rezvani - M&A Partner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Arash Attar-Rezvani, M&A Partner at Skadden based in Paris, brings over two decades of cross-border M&A strategy experience to this in-depth conversation. From billion-dollar telecom deals across Latin America to luxury brand acquisitions spanning multiple jurisdictions, Arash reveals the hidden complexities that make international M&A uniquely challenging. M&A professionals will learn how to structure deals across incompatible legal systems, navigate emerging regulatory landscapes, and build the trust essential for successful cross-border transactions. Things you will learn: How to identify and manage multiple antitrust and national security clearances across jurisdictions with varying sophistication levels Why smaller transactions often require more innovation than billion-dollar deals, and how to build structures when no legal playbook exists The psychology behind cross-border deal-making and why tru

Haley Van Cleve, Partner at Alpine Investors Haley joins us to decode the art of building successful buy-and-build platforms from the ground up. In this episode, Haley walks through Alpine's proven methodology for transforming small $3M EBITDA businesses into $100M+ platforms through strategic M&A and operational excellence. Learn how Alpine's unique talent model, integration-first approach, and buyer-led M&A strategy has driven over 850 deals, including 170 in 2024 alone. Whether you're a corporate development professional or private equity investor, this conversation delivers actionable insights on platform identification, integration best practices, and scaling through acquisitions. Things you will learn: Alpine's team-market-business prioritization model for identifying $3M businesses with scaling potential Building 20-30 day system rollouts upfront to enable high-velocity acquisitions without operational breakdowns CEO-in-residence programs and profit interest pools that align management f