A Case for the Diligence Management Office
Co-written by Mark Juergens, Senior Partner, M&A Partners, and Mark Herndon, Chairman Emeritus, M&A Leadership Council

While most organizations have adopted the Integration Management Office (IMO) as an essential best practice, few organizations consistently apply the same discipline and rigor to due diligence.

The Art of M&A® / Due Diligence 
An excerpt from The Art of M&A, Fifth Edition: A Merger, Acquisition, and Buyout Guide by Alexandra Reed Lajoux

The due diligence process begins from the moment a buyer senses a possible acquisition opportunity. The buyer then starts to examine the information that is readily available at this early time about the company. 

Insights & Advice: An Interview with Two Experts
By Mark Herndon, Chairman Emeritus, M&A Leadership Council 

Cybersecurity and IT due diligence has become one of the most challenging, and also one of the most critical areas of due diligence in any environment. The risks of brand damage, customer churn, and substantial costs have brought this topic to the forefront in.......

Chairman's Message - February 2020
By Mark Herndon, Chairman of M&A Leadership Council 

Two recent data points powerfully drove home the importance of the upcoming Art of M&A℠ Due Diligence workshop, April 14-16, 2020, in San Diego. First, the Bain Corporate M&A Report 2020, which highlighted 2019 survey data

Blending the Art and the Science of M&A
By Jack Prouty, President of the M&A Leadership Council

There is a very important reason the M&A Leadership Council program titles begin with “The Art of…” When it comes to M&A, having structures, processes, tools, etc. (the science of M&A) are very important, but understanding the art of planning and executing in mergers, acquisitions and divestitures is paramount. In this context, let me share with you a best practice in effective due diligence

A Smooth Integration Begins with Thorough Due Diligence
By Jim Jeffries, Chairman of the M&A Leadership Council

While thorough due diligence cannot guarantee a successful deal, it is the primary protection an acquirer has against buying a time-bomb. In addition to being the best defense against litigation, in nearly one out of three cases, it will turn up deal breakers. In others, it at least allows the acquirer to take mitigating actions. And when the deal goes forward, proper due diligence provides the basis for integration planning and activities.

The Two Most Important Words in Due Diligence: “So what?”
By Jack Prouty, President of the M&A Leadership Council

Too often, the focus in due diligence is on collecting data rather than analyzing the business. It is equally important to evaluate how well the businesses align; the value the acquisition bring to the acquirer and vice-versa; how the business is organized and how well it operates; analysis of their financials; potential synergies; and an assessment of their culture. At The Art of Due Diligence training events, I challenge the attendees to always ask the “so what?” questions regarding any information collected or interview held:

The Biggest Challenges for HR in Mergers and Acquisitions
By Jim Jeffries, Chairman of the M&A Leadership Council

A couple of weeks ago, I attended our training program for Human Resource executives and had a chance to do a quick interview with 3 of our presenters: a global HR specialist, an attorney specializing in cross-border M&A and an HR specialist for post-merger integration. I asked each of them what they saw as the biggest challenges in their respective arena.  Here is what they had to say:

Finish 2018 Strong
By Jim Jeffries, Chairman of the M&A Leadership Council

The M&A Leadership Council has enjoyed a stellar year, enabling us to reach the milestone of 3,000 attendees to our training events. We’ve already posted the training calendar for next year and opened registrations for a few select courses, including The Art of M&A Divestitures and Carve-Outs. This event is designed to equip C-level executives for the unique complication of divestitures. It will only be offered once next year so don’t miss out on this opportunity.

Investigative Due Diligence
By Joann Arweiler and Peter Woglom with BDO, a partner of the M&A Leadership Council

Access to information is one of the keys to managing risk in an M&A transaction. Investigative due diligence (IDD) should be placed alongside legal and financial diligence as a critical component of a buyer’s diligence process.