Grow Your Vision
C-Suite and Executive Education
EXE-701
M&A, Deals and Value Creation for Executives
The most deal-intensive programme available outside of investment banking itself. The live case study — a single fictional acquisition that runs as the spine of all five days — creates an unusually coherent and cumulative learning experience. By day five participants have valued the target, negotiated the deal, identified due diligence red flags, and built a 100-day integration plan. The negotiation simulation on day three is the most energising session — two teams fight hard for commercial advantage in real time with faculty coaching throughout.
A rigorous residential programme for senior executives who lead, oversee, or are accountable for mergers, acquisitions, and major strategic transactions. Covers the full deal lifecycle — from strategy and target identification through valuation, due diligence, negotiation, and post-merger integration — delivered by practitioners who have done deals, not academics who have studied them.
Modules
1: M&A Strategy — When, Why and How to Grow Through Acquisition |
2: Target Identification, Screening and Strategic Fit Assessment |
3: Valuation Fundamentals for Non-Finance Executives |
4: Deal Structuring — Consideration, Warranties and Deal Mechanics |
5: Due Diligence — Financial, Legal, Commercial and Cultural |
6: Negotiation Strategy and Tactics in Deals |
7: Board and Shareholder Approval — Governance of Major Transactions |
8: Post-Merger Integration — The Most Critical 100 Days |
9: Value Capture — Synergies, People and Culture Integration |
10: Divestments, Carve-Outs and Portfolio Restructuring
Who attends
CEOs, CFOs, and divisional MDs who lead or oversee acquisitions; Corporate development and strategy directors; Private equity operating partners and portfolio company executives; Investment directors and transaction managers; Board members who approve and oversee major transactions; Senior lawyers and advisers who want the client-side perspective on deal leadership.
Programme Content
Strategic rationale for M&A vs organic growth; Market scanning and target identification frameworks; Strategic fit and synergy hypothesis development; Valuation methodologies (DCF, comparable companies, precedent transactions, asset-based); Deal structure considerations (cash, shares, earn-outs, deferred consideration); SPA warranties and indemnities overview; Financial due diligence scope and red flags; Legal, commercial and people due diligence frameworks; Cultural due diligence and integration risk; Deal negotiation principles and tactics; Board approval process and fiduciary considerations; 100-day integration planning framework; Synergy identification, quantification and tracking; People integration — retention, redundancy and cultural alignment; Post-acquisition performance review and course correction; Divestment and carve-out processes
how to apply
Apply online with CV and brief description of your M&A experience and specific objective for attending. Applications reviewed within 5 working days. Cohort limited to 15. Corporate team bookings available — contact us for group pricing for deal teams.
what you will learn
Build and execute an M&A strategy aligned to business objectives; Identify, assess and prioritise acquisition targets with rigour; Navigate valuation and deal structuring without needing to be a banker; Lead due diligence programmes across all workstreams; Negotiate commercial terms and deal structure effectively; Govern major transactions through board approval and shareholder engagement; Lead post-merger integration to capture planned value; Manage the people, culture and communication dimensions of deals; Execute divestments and portfolio restructuring with confidence
How you will learn
Five-day residential immersion with fellow senior deal-makers; Faculty of former investment bankers, M&A lawyers, corporate development directors, and post-merger integration specialists; Live deal case study — a fictional acquisition tracked from strategy through integration across all five days; Valuation workshop — participants value the case study target using multiple methodologies; Negotiation simulation — two teams negotiate the deal terms on day three; Due diligence findings debrief — interpreting red flags and deal-breakers; Integration planning workshop — 100-day plan built in teams; One-to-one deal strategy coaching session
Faqs
Q: Do I need a finance background to attend?
A: No — the valuation module is designed for non-finance executives. CFOs and finance professionals will find the strategic and integration content more valuable than the financial mechanics. |
Q: Is this relevant if my organisation does deals infrequently?
A: Yes — the strategic thinking and post-merger integration content is valuable even for leaders who do one acquisition per decade. |
Q: Can this programme be run for our corporate development team?
A: Yes — bespoke delivery for deal teams of 6-15 is available. |
Q: Is accommodation included?
A: Yes — five nights and all meals.