M&A Science

Donara Jaghinyan, a transformation and integration leader, discusses the complexities of post-merger integration. She dives into 'integration debt' and how neglected tasks can hinder success. Featuring practical change management strategies, she emphasizes clear communication to alleviate employee uncertainty. Donara also shares her experiences with cultural challenges in cross-border deals, including navigating gender dynamics and building trust across diverse regions. Her insights reveal the operational realities that can make or break an M&A deal.

Donara Jaghinyan, a transformation and integration leader with extensive experience in healthcare and SaaS, unveils the common pitfalls of integrations. She reveals why treating Transition Service Agreements (TSAs) as projects with strict deadlines is crucial to prevent cost overruns. Donara discusses the often-overlooked complexities of carve-outs and the critical role of Integration Management Offices in identifying hidden dependencies. Her insights shed light on optimizing day-one readiness and establishing effective governance structures for successful integrations.

In this conversation, Andy Cohen, Vice President of Corporate Development at F5, shares insights from his 30 years in M&A, emphasizing that success is built on relationships. He highlights the importance of shifting from zero-sum thinking to a 'win-enough' mindset for sustainable deals. Andy discusses the value of proactive sourcing and understanding founders' motivations, as well as the need for cultural fit in integration strategies. His focus on reputation and trust underlines that sometimes walking away is key to preserving long-term relationships.

In this entertaining holiday special, Shyla Patel, a high school student and daughter of the host, interviews her father about his new book on Buyer-Led M&A. They discuss the flaws in traditional M&A, emphasizing the critical importance of early integration planning for successful deals. Shyla learns about the five pillars of buyer-led M&A, which transform reactive processes into strategic engines. Their engaging conversation even unveils how proactive deal sourcing consistently outperforms bank-led auctions.

Sharon Van Zeeland, Vice President of Strategy and Corporate Development at Rockwell Automation, brings an engineering twist to M&A culture assessments. She shares how Rockwell uses a 0-5 scoring system to evaluate cultural fit, revealing surprising gaps and similarities that aid integration planning. Sharon discusses creative negotiation tactics like hunting rights and sponsorship deals, emphasizing the importance of merging diligence and integration teams early to facilitate smooth transitions. She also highlights the rising role of AI in due diligence and the need for human oversight.

Leon Brujis, Partner and Co-Head of U.S. at 65 Equity Partners, shares insights from over 20 years in private equity. He discusses why the best companies resist being sold and the benefits of non-control investments in founder-led businesses. Leon emphasizes that disciplined, 'boring' investing consistently outperforms flashy deals, and he details a five-point framework for negotiating term sheets. He also highlights the importance of building relationships with founders and how cultural adaptability influences successful deal-making.

Brandon Batt, Chief People and Transformation Officer at Quadient, discusses the critical role of strategic hiring in M&A integration. He emphasizes that building M&A expertise across different roles lays the groundwork for success, even in unrelated fields. Batt introduces the concept of a transformation office to eliminate silos, and shares insights on why cultural 'add' is more beneficial than cultural 'fit.' Discover how fostering an adaptable team can transform the integration process, making it a core strength from the start.

Rachel Hindley, Vice President of Corporate Development at IFS, leads strategic acquisitions in enterprise software and industrial AI. She dives into IFS's unique approach to M&A, working with three private equity firms, and outlines four acquisition archetypes: product bolt-ons, customer migration, market entry, and new platforms. Rachel also emphasizes the critical separation of integration from value creation and discusses adapting M&A strategies for fast-paced AI markets, all while maintaining cultural integrity during transitions.

Keith Crawford, the Global Head of Corporate Development and M&A at State Street, shares over 20 years of M&A expertise. He discusses the intricacies of carve-out transactions, emphasizing that each deal requires a unique approach. Keith reveals strategies for proactive sourcing and highlights the importance of aligning synergies with realistic integration timelines. He also touches on potential pitfalls, like employee retention and managing third-party contracts, offering insights on how to navigate these challenges effectively while preserving company culture.

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 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 _____________________ M&A Doesn't Have to Be So Painful 💔 Get Optimized with DealRoom DealRoom helps corporate development teams take control—streamlining diligence, syncing integration, and eliminating the back-and-forth. 👉 Learn how you can run a repeatable, buyer-led process at DealRoom.net ____________________ 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.