M&A Science
Kison Patel
M&A Science, hosted by Kison Patel (Founder & CEO of DealRoom), is your go-to podcast for mastering the art of mergers and acquisitions. Each week, Kison and his expert guests from leading brands like Xerox, FastLap, and Cisco dig deep into real-world M&A strategies, offering actionable insights to optimize your M&A practice.
Whether you're an experienced practitioner or new to the field, M&A Science provides practical advice on key topics like sourcing, due diligence, integration, divestitures, and more. With over 300 episodes, this podcast is the premier thought leadership resource designed to streamline your deal-making process.
Start listening today and visit mascience.com/podcast to access over 300 episodes. Brought to you by DealRoom, the leading M&A optimization platform used by the best M&A teams around the world
Whether you're an experienced practitioner or new to the field, M&A Science provides practical advice on key topics like sourcing, due diligence, integration, divestitures, and more. With over 300 episodes, this podcast is the premier thought leadership resource designed to streamline your deal-making process.
Start listening today and visit mascience.com/podcast to access over 300 episodes. Brought to you by DealRoom, the leading M&A optimization platform used by the best M&A teams around the world
Episodes
Mentioned books
59 snips
Jun 26, 2025 • 58min
Buyer-Led vs. Seller-Led M&A with Matthew Person
Mathew Person, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at QuickBase, shares his extensive experience in buyer-led mergers and acquisitions. He explains how to proactively structure acquisitions and align internal stakeholders for success. Discussions include the importance of creating a 'box of preference' for deal criteria and assessing cultural fit. Mathew emphasizes strategic sourcing and the need for effective integration, revealing insights on managing stakeholder engagement and optimizing M&A processes.
13 snips
Jun 23, 2025 • 54min
From Loom to Trello: How Atlassian Scales Through Smart M&A with Sarah Hughes
In this engaging discussion, Sarah Hughes, the Head of Corporate Development at Atlassian, shares her journey in M&A from Google to Atlassian. She delves into the art of sourcing deals and building long-term relationships with founders. Sarah reveals Atlassian's three strategic pillars for acquisitions and the push-pull alignment between corporate development and product teams. The conversation highlights the crucial role of cultural diligence and integration planning, emphasizing how empathy and transparency foster successful post-acquisition outcomes.
16 snips
Jun 20, 2025 • 55min
Building Trust in Acquisitions with Dan Pollock
Dan Pollock, Vice President of Corporate Development at SAM Companies, shares his journey in building a robust M&A function. He discusses the balance of disciplined diligence with relationship-first sourcing and how culture and seller alignment are just as crucial as price. Dan highlights the importance of integrating small firms while preserving their legacy and using innovative strategies like earnouts. This conversation provides tactical insights for those looking to refine their corporate development playbook and scale M&A effectively.
23 snips
Jun 16, 2025 • 39min
How Blackstone is Unlocking Lasting Value Across Private Equity with Viral Patel
Viral Patel, CEO of Blackstone Private Equity Strategies, dives into the future of private equity, discussing innovations like perpetual fund structures. He emphasizes the importance of aligning investor and management interests and highlights thematic investments in electrification and AI infrastructure. Patel discusses the critical evaluation of management teams and the shift towards buyer-led M&A processes. He also shares insights on how individual investors are becoming central to private capital, pointing to the growing landscape of alternative investments.
50 snips
Jun 12, 2025 • 58min
M&A Lawyers vs. Bankers: What’s Changed and What Still Matters with Rob Kindler
Rob Kindler, a seasoned partner at Paul, Weiss and former head of global M&A at Morgan Stanley, shares his insights into the evolving landscape of M&A. He discusses why legal advisors have become the first call in deal-making, the impact of corporate development teams on sourcing, and how negotiation strategies have shifted. Rob emphasizes the crucial role of regulatory strategies in deal success and offers real-world examples of complex transactions, blending his extensive experience from law and banking to illuminate current M&A practices.
15 snips
Jun 9, 2025 • 59min
CEO Growth Strategy: How Culligan Scaled 300+ Acquisitions with Scott Clawson
Scott Clawson, CEO of Culligan International, has transformed the company into a $3.3 billion global leader through strategic M&A, completing over 300 acquisitions. He shares insights on building a decentralized M&A engine, emphasizing the importance of cultural alignment and seller trust in long-term success. Scott discusses the critical role of private equity partnerships in unlocking growth and details effective integration strategies to avoid bottlenecks. His personal anecdotes and actionable advice provide a fascinating blueprint for successful high-volume M&A.
19 snips
Jun 5, 2025 • 30min
Fixing Broken Companies Through Smart Deals with Marc Bell Part 2
Marc Bell, CEO of Marc Bell Capital, has a wealth of experience, having taken 17 companies public and revitalized struggling businesses. In this conversation, he shares valuable insights on navigating high-stakes M&A deals. Topics include the crucial due diligence process, the trade-offs between debt and equity, and how to select the right private equity partner. Marc emphasizes the importance of fostering a people-first company culture and imparts lessons learned from his own setbacks, proving that optimism and character truly shine in tough times.
24 snips
Jun 2, 2025 • 32min
Fixing Broken Companies Through Smart Deals with Marc Bell
Marc Bell, CEO of Marc Bell Capital and a self-proclaimed "deal junkie," shares his remarkable journey from revitalizing Penthouse into a $500M powerhouse to backing national security tech. He reveals how to identify distressed assets and the critical importance of choosing the right operators over just solid business models. Marc emphasizes innovative deal structuring and creative capital strategies, highlighting the vital role of cash flow and supply chain management in ensuring long-term success in mergers and acquisitions.
56 snips
May 29, 2025 • 56min
Inside Soundtrack’s Roll-Up Strategy: Building a Global Leader in Background Music with Ola Sars
Ola Sars, the Founder and CEO of Soundtrack Technologies, shares his 20-year journey in disrupting the music industry, starting with co-founding Beats Music. He discusses his buyer-led M&A strategy to consolidate the background music market, transforming legacy customers into scalable revenue streams. Sars highlights lessons learned from major players like Apple and Spotify on scaling businesses and innovating within the digital music landscape. He also delves into effective seller engagement tactics and the balance needed in the unpredictable world of M&A.
50 snips
May 26, 2025 • 56min
How to Build Better Deals: Sourcing and Integration with John Romeo
Join John Romeo, CEO of the Oliver Wyman Forum and M&A expert with over 30 years in consulting, as he dives into the art of mergers and acquisitions. He reveals the nuances of building a bespoke M&A pipeline and emphasizes the importance of cultural alignment in professional services. Learn how to prioritize deal sourcing and integration while fostering long-term relationships. With insights on retention strategies and the human elements that drive success, John shares how to navigate this intricate landscape for maximum value creation.
