The World of Change
By Jim Jeffries, Chairman of M&A Leadership Council

The digital age has arrived and companies will have to continuously rethink their strategies and adjust their assets, business models and overall focus as the environment around them changes. Never has there been a more critical time to build core competencies and capabilities around Mergers

Hero Driven M&A vs. Well-Performed M&A
by Jack Prouty, President of M&A Leadership Council 

In our Art of M&A^SM training programs, the number one challenge listed by attendees is securing resources for the M&A effort. Specifically, there are not enough of them; they are untrained or unqualified; or they lack dedicated staff because MA&D is treated as a part-time job in addition to their normal job. Why does this continue to be such a major issue?

For a majority of M&A transactions, the ultimate driver of meeting goals and objectives relies on human performance against deal objectives. Whether the financial goal of the deal involves leveraging people synergies or expanding teams to support new growth, HR plays a significant role. For this reason, HR can greatly affect capturing deal value. First we must broaden our view of deals by not looking strictly at financials, but from a wider perspective that factors in what truly drive financials – primarily, people and productivity.

Acuris Relocates to the Heart of New York City in Times Square
Submitted by Acuris, a partner of the M&A Leadership Council 

Acuris Relocates to the heart of New York City in Times Square BC Partners and GIC‐backed provider of global news, data, research and analysis now resides at 1501 Broadway, formerly the Paramount building.  

Weighing the Benefits of Selling a Company In or Out of Bankruptcy
By David Berliner with BDO, a partner of the M&A Leadership Council

While the economy has been expanding in 2018, the sizable number of bankruptcy filings reflect shifting consumer preferences, continued technology disruption, rising competition, and the decision to take on too much debt. 

Smart Moves: Managing the Enterprise Portfolio
by Jim Jeffries, Chairman of the M&A Leadership Council

In past decades, corporate executive teams focused on organic growth as the single method for creating value for their shareholders. In the 1980s a new wave of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) swept into the boardrooms globally.

Details on Red Hat/IBM
Submitted by Mergermarket, an Acuris Company and partner of the M&A Leadership Council

Following IBM’s announcement that it will be acquiring open source enterprise software maker Red Hat for USD 33bn, Mergermarket, an Acuris company, sheds some light on deal activity within the computer software space:

(Fifth in a series of posts about doing HR M&A right. The previous one is Due Diligence: It's Not Just About Liabilities Anymore.)

4 Critical Steps HR Leaders Should Consider Before Embarking on a Successful Integration
Submitted by Willis Towers Watson, a Partner of the M&A Leadership Council 

So, the boss just told you that your company has entered into an agreement to buy another company. The transaction is expected to close in 60 days, and you need to prepare to bring all the people onto your systems and programs.

Be Mad at Who Sold You, Not at Who Bought You!
By Jack Prouty, President of the M&A Leadership Council

The management of the acquired company, even if they personally will be exiting soon after close, care about their business and their people. They know who the valuable players are, as well as where the issues and challenges are in their business.