Art Papas, CEO at Bullhorn
Growth through M&A is about strategy, timing, and bold leadership. The stakes are high, but the rewards are transformative for those who get it right. In this episode, Art Papas, CEO of Bullhorn, shares his journey from tech founder to M&A leader, and how he turned acquisitions into engines of growth.
Things you will learn:
• The role evolution from tech lead to CEO
• The case for buyer-led M&A
• Leveraging customer insights to identify strategic opportunities
• Balancing control and growth with private equity sponsorship
• Building M&A strategies and handling private equity transitions
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This episode is sponsored by S&P Global Market Intelligence. Find insight at every data point with the enhanced S&P Capital IQ Pro platform. It's the leading data solution for strategics and investors alike. Visit spglobal.com/proinsights.
This episode is also sponsored by DealRoom AI, the latest innovation from DealRoom designed specifically for M&A professionals. DealRoom AI automates the analysis and extraction of key information from due diligence documents, empowering teams to save up to 80% of their time on document analysis and focus on what really matters—closing the deal.
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Episode Timestamps
00:00 Intro
06:29 The role evolution from tech lead to CEO
10:21 Lessons in Discipline and Growth
16:27 The case for buyer-led M&A - We were buyer-led
20:30 Leveraging customer insights to identify strategic opportunities
25:27 Balancing control and growth with private equity sponsorship
31:30 Building M&A strategies and handling private equity transitions
32:31 The right way to integrate acquired businesses
40:22 Ensuring smooth M&A integration through detailed planning
43:48 Integration and risk planning post-LOI
46:07 Best practices for handling overlapping products in M&A
49:53 First M&A deal with Vista
54:14 Evaluating deal timing and product-market fit early
55:32 Staying close to core competencies in M&A
58:55 Expanding internationally with organic growth and M&A
1:00:43 Building relationships in early M&A conversations
1:02:14 Craziest thing in M&A