DealmakersTalk is a series of interactive quarterly webinars, including insights, Q&As and guidance from deal making leaders and KPMG experts. Each webinar focuses on topical and relevant subjects that are shaping the investment and deals space. The objective is to provide informative insights across the deals space, from hearing the first-hand experiences of the deal makers who achieved them.
Diversity in Deals
As well as the social and ethical dimensions, it is now recognised that a committed approach to Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) helps companies to achieve their strategic objectives, especially in dealmaking. To put it simply, diverse teams are more likely to spot new ways of doing things, to break the cycle and drive true innovation. In contrast, a lack of diversity can be seen as a significant contributor to deal failure. So how can dealmakers approach D&I to create value and reduce risks during the dealmaking process?
Joint Ventures
An alternative deal structure requiring a different approach
During the third digital event in our DealmakersTalk series, we were joined by Pascal De Prins, Director, Business Development, Ford Motor Company and Shaun Grady, Senior Vice President, Business Development Operations, AstraZeneca. It was great to hear these inspirational business leaders sharing valuable insights on Joint Ventures within their own organisations. A number of KPMG panellists were also on-hand to bring perspectives from the many JVs they’ve worked on.
Forming a Joint Venture (JV) is not like a conventional M&A transaction and it’s more complicated than acquiring an existing business and key discussion points from the event included:
- the unique challenges and complexities associated with JVs
- the importance of negotiation and continuous relationship building
- speeding up and improving the JV process
- laying the ground rules and planning for exit at the JV inception
- top tips for JV success
Click on the button below to watch the event recording or download the guide to Joint Ventures and Alliances for more information.
ESG and sustainable deals
There is no doubt that ESG is now a mainstream point of discussion and a strategic imperative among buyers and sellers. Many firms are taking these issues into account and ESG increasingly plays a key role in actual deal decisions and in investment strategies. For some, it is essential part of their vision and fiduciary duties, for others it is about returns, a risk mitigation factor, or a framework to build a firm’s public image and long-term value to the firm and society.
In the second of our Dealmakers Talk digital events, ESG and sustainable deals, we spoke with Kate Bowyer, CFO at The Crown Estate, James Holley, Head of ESG at Bridgepoint and Greg Jackson, CEO and Founder of Octopus Energy.
Our speakers gave some fantastic insights into how ESG is a driving force in their deal-making decisions. Particularly interesting were the group’s perspectives on ESG financing and the need for practical advice on incorporating ESG. Additionally, some really insightful commentary on how ESG links to an organisation’s vision and purpose and the ever-increasing focus on attracting diverse talent.
Divest or invest? The path to unlocking portfolio value
Businesses of all sizes, across all sectors are facing challenges and uncertainty of an unprecedented scale. This has accelerated our move to a new reality and it’s more important than ever to draw on the knowledge and experience of other successful business leaders.
On Monday 30 November, Sarah Byrne-Quinn, Head of Transaction Execution at Anglo American and Conrad Tate, Corporate Development Director for Imperial Brands joined us for the first our series of DealmakersTalk digital events. They shared insights on their recent M&A journeys, discussed how life in a pandemic is informing their portfolio decisions and how they are reshaping and repositioning their strategies.
Facilitated by Liz Claydon, UK Head of DA at KPMG, the discussion was insightful and informative. We were particularly interested in the key themes that were prominent throughout the discussion including the need for solid planning and preparation before a disposal, and the importance of focusing on future value on the other side of the deal.
