Synchronizing the Deal Team and Integration Team for Better Outcomes

Russ Hartz, VP of Corporate Development at Ansys, and Carey Pugh, Director of Corporate Integrations at Ansys (NASDAQ: ANSS) The fastest way to sabotage an M&A deal is to let the deal team and integration team work in silos. Too often, companies nail the transaction only to fumble on execution because the people closing the deal and those delivering the value aren’t aligned.  In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Russ Hartz, VP of Corporate Development at Ansys, and Carey Pugh, Director of Corporate Integrations at Ansys, unpack how keeping deal and integration teams synchronized can make or break an M&A deal's outcomes. Things you will learn:   The positive business outcomes of early integration Managing integration planning milestones Kickoff meeting structure Adapting integration approaches to cultural differences Building a strong partnership between deal and integration teams ******************* 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.   DealRoom AI also sponsors this episode. DealRoom AI accelerates the due diligence process by automating the extraction and analysis of key information from M&A documents, reducing contract analysis time by up to 80%. Trusted by leading M&A practitioners, this tool streamlines reviews, minimizes risk, and saves legal costs significantly. For more details, visit the DealRoom AI page today.   ******************* Episode Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 04:49 Integration planning starts early 07:55 The positive business outcomes of early integration 15:22 Balancing strategy with practicality in early integration planning 21:50 Proactive integration planning 23:58 Managing integration planning milestones 25:11 Kickoff meeting structure 33:07 Adapting integration approaches to cultural differences 30:29 Key factors considered during diligence 44:31 Building a strong partnership between deal and integration teams 46:50 Key traits to look for in an integration partner 49:36 Aligning the deal and integration teams 52:18 Best practices for synchronizing the deal team and integration team 58:52 The power of buyer-led M&A -  When you get to the point  1:04:23 Creating a seamless people experience in buyer-led M&A 1:06:43 Craziest thing in M&A