

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

Oct 13, 2022 • 46min
Carving Out A Competitor
Liz Lockhart, Sr. Director, PMO, Training and Business Applications Carve-outs are incredibly complex. Buying a small part of a target company brings many challenges and can be even more complicated if the acquirer is carving out a public company. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Liz Lockhart, Sr. Director, PMO, Training and Business Applications, shares her first experience and lessons learned in carving out a competitor. Liked today's episode? Unlock over 60 courses taught by top-tier M&A practitioners by joining the M&A Science Academy. Use code “academy20%” on the sign-up page for a 20% discount, available on either monthly or annual plans. https://www.mascience.com/academy Want to learn about upcoming interviews, events, and industry trends? Sign up for our weekly newsletter. https://www.mascience.com/newsletter-signup 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. 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/

Oct 10, 2022 • 47min
Formulating M&A Strategy for Proactive Sourcing
Mike Kryza, Head of Corporate Development at The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America Private- F500 Mergers and acquisitions are a critical part of any business, yet they can be very risky. Therefore, a clear strategy is necessary for deal success. A well-planned deal strategy enables companies to proactively source deals rather than be reactive. Without the right target, what is the point of M&A? In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Mike Kryza, Head of Corporate Development at The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, discusses formulating an M&A strategy for proactive sourcing. Liked today's episode? Unlock over 60 courses taught by top-tier M&A practitioners by joining the M&A Science Academy. Use code “academy20%” on the sign-up page for a 20% discount, available on either monthly or annual plans. https://www.mascience.com/academy Want to learn about upcoming interviews, events, and industry trends? Sign up for our weekly newsletter. https://www.mascience.com/newsletter-signup 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. 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/

Oct 6, 2022 • 47min
Realizing Go-To-Market Synergies
Karen Ashley, Vice President, Corporate Development Integration at Cisco CSCO (NASDAQ) M&A doesn't end when a deal closes. The deal's success relies heavily on how well the acquirer can integrate the target company. Revenue synergies are one of the most important, but also one of the hardest, things to achieve during integration. When two companies come together, their products and services often overlap, and it can be challenging to figure out how to market them as one company. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Karen Ashley, Vice President, Corporate Development Integration at Cisco, discusses how to realize go-to-market synergies. Liked today's episode? Unlock over 60 courses taught by top-tier M&A practitioners by joining the M&A Science Academy. Use code “academy20%” on the sign-up page for a 20% discount, available on either monthly or annual plans. https://www.mascience.com/academy Want to learn about upcoming interviews, events, and industry trends? Sign up for our weekly newsletter. https://www.mascience.com/newsletter-signup 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. 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/

Oct 3, 2022 • 52min
How to Convince People to Sell their Business
Willy Walker, Chairman and CEO of Walker & Dunlop, Inc (NYSE: WD) M&A is one of the fastest ways to grow a company. Many of the largest companies in the world turn to M&A for inorganic growth. However, first-time acquirers often find it difficult to buy companies due to a lack of experience and reputation. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Willy Walker, Chairman, and CEO of Walker & Dunlop, Inc, discusses how to convince people to sell their business. Liked today's episode? Unlock over 60 courses taught by top-tier M&A practitioners by joining the M&A Science Academy. Use code “academy20%” on the sign-up page for a 20% discount, available on either monthly or annual plans. https://www.mascience.com/academy Want to learn about upcoming interviews, events, and industry trends? Sign up for our weekly newsletter. https://www.mascience.com/newsletter-signup 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. 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/

Sep 29, 2022 • 47min
Proactive Deal Sourcing
Lisa Marchese, Head of Corporate Development at American Express AXP (NYSE) Culture is one of the biggest M&A killers. Some of the biggest deal failures in history are due to culture clashes that resulted in value leaks and destroyed companies. Bringing culture to the forefront of transactions can help increase deal success. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Lisa Marchese, Head of Corporate Development at American Express, discusses proactive deal sourcing with culture in mind. Liked today's episode? Unlock over 60 courses taught by top-tier M&A practitioners by joining the M&A Science Academy. Use code “academy20%” on the sign-up page for a 20% discount, available on either monthly or annual plans. https://www.mascience.com/academy Want to learn about upcoming interviews, events, and industry trends? Sign up for our weekly newsletter. https://www.mascience.com/newsletter-signup 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. 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/

Sep 26, 2022 • 50min
How to Improve the Sales Function During Integration
Richard Dunkel, Global Head of Field Enablement at Celonis The sales operation is the cornerstone of every business. Without it, companies would not have revenue. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Richard Dunkel, Global Head of Field Enablement at Celonis, discusses how to improve the sales function during integration. Liked today's episode? Unlock over 60 courses taught by top-tier M&A practitioners by joining the M&A Science Academy. Use code “academy20%” on the sign-up page for a 20% discount, available on either monthly or annual plans. https://www.mascience.com/academy Want to learn about upcoming interviews, events, and industry trends? Sign up for our weekly newsletter. https://www.mascience.com/newsletter-signup 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. 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/

Sep 22, 2022 • 45min
Lessons Learned from Leadership Onboarding
Kim Jones, HR Director M&A at Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) An effective M&A onboarding process post-close can dictate employee retention. But what's even more important is retaining the acquired company's leadership. Leadership has massive influence inside the business, and helping them transition properly will positively impact the overall transaction. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Kim Jones, HR Director M&A at Microsoft, discusses lessons learned from leadership onboarding. Liked today's episode? Unlock over 60 courses taught by top-tier M&A practitioners by joining the M&A Science Academy. Use code “academy20%” on the sign-up page for a 20% discount, available on either monthly or annual plans. https://www.mascience.com/academy Want to learn about upcoming interviews, events, and industry trends? Sign up for our weekly newsletter. https://www.mascience.com/newsletter-signup 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. 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/

Sep 19, 2022 • 48min
Building an Exit Path
Touraj Parang, President & COO of Serve Robotics Selling a business is a difficult task that requires a lot of planning and preparation. However, most entrepreneurs refuse to entertain the idea of a sale until it is too late. The best time to plan an exit is when times are good, not in a desperate situation. The longer the prep time, the higher chances of success. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Touraj Parang, President & COO of Serve Robotics, discusses how to build an exit strategy. Liked today's episode? Unlock over 60 courses taught by top-tier M&A practitioners by joining the M&A Science Academy. Use code “academy20%” on the sign-up page for a 20% discount, available on either monthly or annual plans. https://www.mascience.com/academy Want to learn about upcoming interviews, events, and industry trends? Sign up for our weekly newsletter. https://www.mascience.com/newsletter-signup 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. 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/

Sep 15, 2022 • 50min
Developing an M&A Thesis
Siran Tanielyan, SVP, Corporate Development at Paramount (NYSE: PGRE) Every company wants to evolve and grow its business, and M&A is one of the fastest and most powerful ways to grow. If done correctly, M&A can transform an organization overnight but there must be a sound M&A thesis. Without an M&A thesis, acquirers might end up wasting time, money, and opportunities. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Siran Tanielyan, SVP, Corporate Development at Paramount, talks about developing an M&A thesis. Liked today's episode? Unlock over 50 courses taught by top-tier M&A practitioners by joining the M&A Science Academy. Use code “podcast” on the sign-up page for a 20% discount, available on either monthly or annual plans. https://www.mascience.com/academy Want to learn about upcoming interviews, events, and industry trends? Sign up for our weekly newsletter. https://www.mascience.com/newsletter-signup 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. 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/

Sep 12, 2022 • 45min
Leadership Alignment and GTM Strategy for Successful Deals
Cole Breidenbach, VP, M&A Integration & Strategic Initiatives at Okta (NASDAQ: OKTA) Leadership alignment is one of the most underrated aspects of M&A. But without leadership alignment, there will be confusion regarding what the company will represent post-close and what needs to be integrated. The company will be left with an inconsistent narrative and messaging, which leads to retention issues. In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Cole Breidenbach, VP, M&A Integration & Strategic Initiatives at Okta, discusses leadership alignment and creating a GTM strategy for successful deals. Liked today's episode? Unlock over 60 courses taught by top-tier M&A practitioners by joining the M&A Science Academy. Use code “podcast” on the sign-up page for a 20% discount, available on either monthly or annual plans. https://www.mascience.com/academy Want to learn about upcoming interviews, events, and industry trends? Sign up for our weekly newsletter. https://www.mascience.com/newsletter-signup 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. 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/