Pablo von Siebenthal, Global Head of M&A at Swissport, discusses challenges of global M&A, managing cultural differences, negotiation challenges in different regions, and coordination between workstreams. Insights on cultural nuances in Asia, Europe, and overcoming misunderstandings.
Building strong relationships is vital in cross-border M&A, requiring understanding of cultural differences and genuine interest in diverse backgrounds.
Efficient coordination of work streams in M&A transactions is essential, establishing a project management office ensures focus and alignment.
Negotiating cultural misunderstandings during M&A demands sensitivity and awareness, preempting conflicts through clear communication and proactive engagement.
Deep dives
Building Relationships in M&A Deals Across Borders
Building strong relationships remains a crucial aspect when engaging in cross-border M&A deals. Understanding cultural differences and showing genuine interest in people from various backgrounds help lay the foundation for successful business transactions. This approach requires adaptability and patience to navigate through different social norms and contexts.
Coordinating Work Streams in M&A Transactions
Efficient coordination among different work streams in M&A transactions is essential for success. Establishing a project management office tasked with overseeing legal, finance, tax, operations, and other key areas helps maintain focus and alignment. Regular communication, prioritization, and leveraging external expertise contribute to streamlining the M&A process.
Overcoming Cultural Misunderstandings in Negotiations
Navigating cultural misunderstandings and miscommunications during negotiations demands sensitivity and awareness. Anticipating potential differences in communication styles, business practices, and decision-making processes helps prevent conflicts and fosters mutual understanding. Clear and open dialogue, along with proactive engagement, can bridge cultural gaps.
Influencing the Selling Decision in M&A
Influencing a selling decision in M&A entails crafting deals that align incentives for both parties. Offering attractive deal structures that provide upside potential and acknowledging unique motivations such as continuity post-transaction can persuade sellers. Building trust, demonstrating value, and ensuring clear communication are key elements in convincing sellers to proceed with the transaction.
Navigating Complex M&A Scenarios
Dealing with complexities and surprises in M&A transactions requires adaptability and collaboration across teams. Addressing challenges such as language barriers, trust-building, and negotiation nuances demands strategic communication and cultural sensitivity. Emphasizing clear expectations, building trust through transparency, and addressing misunderstandings proactively contribute to successful deal outcomes.
The global landscape offers exciting growth opportunities that make business expansion a strategic move. M&A can be a powerful tool for this, but global deals often come with cultural complexities and regulatory intricacies that require a strategic approach.
In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Pablo von Siebenthal, Global Head of M&A at Swissport, talks about how to handle global M&A.
Things you will also learn from this episode:
• Challenges of executing global deals
• Managing cultural differences in global M&A
• Overcoming cultural misunderstandings
• Playbook - Building cross-cultural relationships
This episode is sponsored by DealRoom. 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://dealroom.net
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Episode Timestamps
00:00 Intro 05:32 From M&A Advisory to Corporate Development 07:04 Executing M&A in the public environment vs private 08:47 Challenges of executing global M&A deals 13:39 Managing cultural differences in global M&A deals 17:58 Negotiation challenges in the Middle East 20:17 Cultural nuances in Asian M&A deals 26:53 Cultural differences in European M&A 29:58 Handling internal cultural differences 32:13 Negotiating cross-border M&A deals 33:17 Overcoming cultural misunderstandings 37:11 Building global relationships for pipeline 45:59 Other tips for building cross-cultural relationships 48:38 How to manage coordination between global work streams 52:52 Keeping M&A teams aligned on priorities 57:37 Crafting irresistible offers in M&A deals 59:16 Craziest thing in M&A
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