May 2017 Chairman's Message
By Jim Jeffries, Chairman, M&A Leadership Council
Next month will mark the seventh anniversary of the M&A Leadership Council, an auspicious milestone that speaks to the evolution of the organization as a catalyst for professional excellence in the M&A community. It was June 29, 2010 that my partner Jack Prouty and I held the first event. The first program was held in Dallas, Texas and brought a total of twelve attendees. Since then more than 2,000 M&A professionals have attended M&A Leadership Council workshops all over the nation.
During the last seven years, the global M&A market has remained a strategic driver of corporate growth thanks to constant demand for inorganic growth and evolution. For example, online deal sourcing has gone mainstream, and issues like post-M&A employee experience have pushed to the forefront as a top concern of M&A professionals.
In keeping with our mission to serve the M&A community, the M&A Leadership Council has responded to these trends:
- Continuing to expand our deep bench of seasoned M&A experts, we have built a global partnership of M&A luminaries who are passionate about sharing their expertise with the community.
- Launch of our Certified M&A Specialist (CMAS) credentialing program offers you the opportunity to showcase your M&A expertise, while elevating the standards and visibility of the M&A community.
- New on-site M&A training and executive briefing options provide unprecedented access to senior M&A experts, delivering “just in time” in-house training for companies making their first foray into M&A or navigating an exceptionally challenging acquisition.
Our programs have evolved, and the upcoming Art of M&A Due Diligence featuring our newest partner firm, BDO, is the perfect example. In today’s increasingly complex M&A environment, our seasoned M&A experts have learned that the checklists and templates of a conventional M&A playbook simply aren’t enough.
The Art of M&A Integration Workshop will help push your company into the 30% of businesses that increase their value through acquisitions. In addition to “Best Practices for Modern M&A Playbooks,” this workshop will focus on key competencies and considerations for successful integration both pre- and post-close:
- The Business Case for Effective M&A Integration
- M&A Integration Life Cycle
- Determining M&A Integration Strategy
- Strategic Diligence: Business Fit & Value Assessment
- Transitioning from Diligence to Integration
- Integration Framework
- Managing the Integration Process
- Concept of Operations
- Change Management and Communications
- Internal Readiness
- Culture Assessment
Please join us on July 25 – 27 in San Diego, California for The Art of M&A Integration Workshop. With its updated curriculum and exceptional presenters, it embodies the vision that has propelled the M&A Leadership Council to outstanding growth over the past seven years and drives us to serve our M&A community for many years to come.
Thank you, Jack, and the entire Council team. It’s been a great ride.
Jim
