Most M&A deals fail because integration was "something to figure out later". By the time execution realities, cultural risks, and people impacts surface, the deal is locked, and teams must work around untested assumptions.
In this episode of the M&A Science podcast, Ciprian Stan, M&A Integration Manager at SALESIANER Gruppe, explains that integration must be a strategic input to increase chances of success.
Things You'll Learn
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Buyer-Led M&A™: The Framework is Now Available
Traditional M&A is broken. Buyers chase auctions. Sellers control the process. It's reactive, inefficient, and exhausting.
After 300+ episodes of M&A Science, I've taken insights from the world's top corp dev leaders and distilled them into a practical framework for taking control of your M&A pipeline—how to source deals directly, build relationships earlier, and stop being auction-chasers.
If you'd like to build a proactive M&A program that founders actually want to engage with, you can grab your copy.
https://dealroom.net/resources/ebooks/buyer-led-m-a-tm-the-framework
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[00:08:00] – Processes vs. Technology: Discussion on managing the computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) and standardized processes during early deals.
[00:10:00] – Leveraging an Engineering Background: How a computer science background helps M&A leaders speak the language of IT teams while avoiding micromanagement.
[00:13:00] – Proactive vs. Reactive Buying: Defining proactive buying as understanding the "why" and identifying specific gaps (geography, technology, etc.) before acquiring.
[00:15:00] – Growth Strategies: Practical examples of buying for revenue growth versus strategic, deliberate footprint expansion.
[00:20:25] Integration Should Shape the Deal Early – Integration leaders surface execution risks that strategy teams often overlook.
[00:29:00] – Pre-LOI Must-Haves: Essential considerations including an integration thesis, timeline estimates, and financial constructs like earnouts.
[00:35:00] – Identifying "Secret Sauce": The necessity of protecting what makes a target company successful during and after the transaction.
[00:36:00] – Founder Dynamics: The pros and cons of keeping a founder on after the sale and how their intentions impact the company culture.
[00:38:00] – Red Flags and Honest Negotiations: Warning against "pink glasses" during deals and the high cost of lying or tricking a seller during negotiations.
[00:48:00] – Dealing with Write-Offs: A cautionary tale of a full investment write-off caused by ignored red flags and excluding integration experts from the deal table.
[00:52:00] – Client and Supplier Risks: Why buyers must speak to a target's major clients to ensure the acquisition doesn't create a "single point of failure" risk.
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