Best Corporatedevelopment Podcasts (2025)

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Strategic M&A at Scale: Insight Partners' Buyer-Led Approach with Byron Lichtenstein 59:04

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4d ago59:04

59:04

Byron Lichtenstein, Managing Director at Insight Partners Byron brings over a decade of experience scaling M&A operations across one of the world's leading software investors. In this episode, Byron breaks down how Insight executes buyer-led M&A at scale, supporting CEOs across their 500+ portfolio companies from sourcing through integration. He sh…

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Think Like a Buyer: Valuation & Deal Structuring with Javier Enrile 53:43

11d ago53:43

53:43

Javier Enrile, Managing Director of M&A at TIAA In this episode, he breaks down the art and science of thinking like a strategic buyer—from building proprietary deal pipelines through relationship-first sourcing to using sophisticated valuation techniques that separate intrinsic value from market noise. Javier reveals why patient relationship build…

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Founder Exit Strategy: Xavier Gury on M&A Deal Terms vs Valuation 1:06:13

18d ago1:06:13

1:06:13

Xavier Gury, Founding Partner at Wind Xavier Gury, founding partner at Wind venture capital firm, brings a unique triple perspective to M&A: serial entrepreneur, acquisition target, and now investor. In this episode, Xavier unpacks the critical lessons from his three successful exits, including one transformative deal with Publicis, where he struct…

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M&A Execution: Strategy from Skadden Expert Arash Attar 38:40

25d ago38:40

38:40

Arash Attar-Rezvani - M&A Partner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP In part two of this masterclass conversation, Arash Attar-Rezvani gets into the execution challenges that separate successful M&A practitioners from the rest. From deconstructing French labor consultation myths to revealing how AI will reshape legal advisory models, this se…

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Cross-Border M&A Strategy: Navigating Complex International Deals with Arash Attar-Rezvani 42:25

1M ago42:25

42:25

Arash Attar-Rezvani - M&A Partner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Arash Attar-Rezvani, M&A Partner at Skadden based in Paris, brings over two decades of cross-border M&A strategy experience to this in-depth conversation. From billion-dollar telecom deals across Latin America to luxury brand acquisitions spanning multiple jurisdictions, Ar…

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Building Successful Buy-and-Build Platforms: Alpine's Blueprint for Strategic M&A with Haley Van Cleve 58:42

1M ago58:42

58:42

Haley Van Cleve, Partner at Alpine Investors Haley joins us to decode the art of building successful buy-and-build platforms from the ground up. In this episode, Haley walks through Alpine's proven methodology for transforming small $3M EBITDA businesses into $100M+ platforms through strategic M&A and operational excellence. Learn how Alpine's uniq…

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M&A in Healthcare with John Palusci 56:46

2M ago56:46

56:46

John Palusci, Former Vice President of Transformation and Strategic Finance, BAYADA In this episode of M&A Science, John Palusci, former Vice President of Transformation and Strategic Finance at BAYADA, joins Kison Patel to discuss how to build a repeatable, Buyer-Led M&A™ engine within a nonprofit structure. John walks through his journey from IT …

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The Secrets to Sourcing Proprietary Deals in Private Equity with Ryan Gable 1:02:28

2M ago1:02:28

1:02:28

Ryan Gable, Managing Partner, BW Forsyth Partners Ryan discusses how his team uses a hybrid private equity model backed by Barry-Wehmiller to execute people-first, long-term acquisitions. With over 55 deals and zero exits, Forsyth has developed a sourcing and integration playbook that challenges traditional PE norms, focusing instead on trust, cult…

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Why Pendo Buys Startups (And It’s Not for Revenue) with Todd Olson 1:02:31

2M ago1:02:31

1:02:31

Todd Olson, CEO and Co-founder, Pendo From buying startups to speed up roadmap execution to preserving founder autonomy post-close, Todd breaks down the real levers behind successful acquisitions. This episode dives into how Pendo thinks about M&A without a corporate development team, why it rarely buys for revenue, and how Todd’s team avoids commo…

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Why Beacon Created an AI Committee for M&A—and What They’re Testing Next (Part 2) with Harrison Thomas 43:41

2M ago43:41

43:41

Harrison Thomas, Chief Growth Officer at Beacon Specialized Living Services, Inc. In Part 2 of our conversation, we go deep into how Beacon is operationalizing M&A. Harrison reveals how they reduced their request list by over 65%, why they require third parties to use their DealRoom, and how integration now begins before the deal is even signed. He…

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Why Beacon Created an AI Committee for M&A with Harrison Thomas 33:16

2M ago33:16

33:16

Harrison Thomas, Chief Growth Officer at Beacon Specialized Living Services, Inc. In Part 1 of our conversation with Harrison Thomas, Chief Growth Officer at Beacon Specialized Living Services, we dive into how one of the largest providers of specialized behavioral health services is rethinking M&A using AI. Harrison shares why Beacon created a ded…

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How to Break Into M&A: Lessons from Todd Manley Part 2 45:44

2M ago45:44

45:44

Todd Manley, VP of Corporate Development Integration at Intel In Part 2 of our conversation with Todd Manley, VP of Corporate Development Integration at Intel, we unpack how professionals from diverse backgrounds can successfully break into M&A and what it takes to build and maintain high-performing deal teams. Todd shares tactical advice on networ…

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Build a Career in M&A: Lessons from Intel’s Todd Manley 50:24

2M ago50:24

50:24

Todd Manley, VP of Corporate Development Integration at Intel In this episode, Todd Manley joins Kison Patel to share his non-traditional path into the world of M&A. Starting his career in IT and organizational behavior, Todd brings a unique lens to integration and leadership in corporate development. From his early consulting days to overseeing in…

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Buyer-Led vs. Seller-Led M&A with Matthew Person 58:09

2M ago58:09

58:09

Mathew Person, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at Quikbase In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Kison Patel interviews Mathew Person, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at Quickbase. Mathew brings a unique blend of operator, banker, and corp dev experience, making him a strategic leader in buyer-led M&A. Together, …

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From Loom to Trello: How Atlassian Scales Through Smart M&A with Sarah Hughes 54:19

2M ago54:19

54:19

Sarah Hughes, Head of Corporate Development and Product Partnerships, Atlassian Uncover the inside workings of Atlassian’s M&A strategy—from how Sarah’s team sources deals and aligns with product to the importance of relationship-building and a structured, founder-first integration approach. With over seven years of experience leading corporate dev…

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Building Trust in Acquisitions with Dan Pollock 54:30

3M ago54:30

54:30

Dan Pollock, Vice President of Corporate Development/M&A at SAM Companies Dan shares how he built SAM Companies’ M&A function from the ground up—executing over 30 deals and transforming M&A into a strategic growth engine. Backed by Peak Rock Capital, SAM Companies focuses on acquiring founder-led geospatial and infrastructure services businesses. D…

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How Blackstone is Unlocking Lasting Value Across Private Equity with Viral Patel 39:01

3M ago39:01

39:01

Viral Patel, CEO of Blackstone Private Equity Strategies Viral Patel unpacks how the firm is reshaping private equity for the next era. From launching new fund structures to leading thematic investments in sectors like electrification and AI infrastructure, Viral shares how Blackstone builds enduring value—and why alignment, data, and management fi…

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M&A Lawyers vs. Bankers: What’s Changed and What Still Matters with Rob Kindler 57:53

3M ago57:53

57:53

Rob Kindler, Partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP In this episode of the M&A Science podcast, Kison Patel sits down with Rob Kindler, a uniquely positioned dealmaker whose career has spanned both sides of the M&A table—law and investment banking. Rob previously led global M&A at Morgan Stanley and is now a senior partner at Paul …

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CEO Growth Strategy: How Culligan Scaled 300+ Acquisitions with Scott Clawson 59:12

3M ago59:12

59:12

Scott Clawson, CEO of Culligan International Scott Clawson turned Culligan from a legacy water treatment business into a $3.3 billion global platform operating in over 50 countries—powered by a programmatic M&A engine that has executed 300+ acquisitions. In this episode, he sits down with Kison to share exactly how that machine works. From beachsid…

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Fixing Broken Companies Through Smart Deals with Marc Bell Part 2 30:11

3M ago30:11

30:11

Marc Bell, CEO of Marc Bell Capital Marc Bell has taken 17 companies public, rebuilt distressed businesses, and invested across industries most wouldn’t dare touch. In this follow-up to Part 1, he’s back with sharp insights on what it really takes to run high-stakes deals—and survive them. Marc and Kison cover everything from building a rock-solid …

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Fixing Broken Companies Through Smart Deals with Marc Bell 31:55

3M ago31:55

31:55

Marc Bell, CEO of Marc Bell Capital Marc Bell is a self-described “deal junkie” who’s built an empire across internet infrastructure, real estate, entertainment, defense, and private equity. In this episode, Marc breaks down his unconventional path—from turning around Penthouse into a $500M acquisition engine, to producing Tony Award-winning Broadw…

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Inside Soundtrack’s Roll-Up Strategy: Building a Global Leader in Background Music with Ola Sars 56:05

3M ago56:05

56:05

Ola Sars, Founder, CEO & Chairman of Soundtrack Your Brand In this episode of M&A Science, Ola Sars shares the story of his 20-year journey disrupting the music industry—first by co-founding Beats Music (later acquired by Apple), and now as the visionary behind Soundtrack Your Brand. Ola dives into the bold thesis that’s guided his career, why he’s…

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How to Build Better Deals: Sourcing and Integration with John Romeo 56:29

3M ago56:29

56:29

John Romeo, CEO of the Oliver Wyman Forum and Head of M&A at Oliver Wyman We sit down with John Romeo to explore Oliver Wyman’s disciplined, strategic approach to M&A. Romeo shares how his team sources deals through a bespoke pipeline, aligns incentives with founder-led businesses, and plans integrations that prioritize people and long-term value c…

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How to Get Investors Onboard: What Founders Need to Know Part 2 with Stew Campbell 52:20

4M ago52:20

52:20

Stew Campbell, Partner at The Chernin Group In Part 2, Stew Campbell returns to share tactical guidance for founders evaluating outside capital. We dive deep into how to run a founder-led investor process, what to watch for in term sheets, and how to build long-term wealth while scaling a founder-led business. Stew breaks down growth equity vs. pri…

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Growth Equity vs. PE vs. VC: What Founders Need to Know Part 1 with Stew Campbell 45:34

4M ago45:34

45:34

Stew Campbell, Partner at The Chernin Group In this episode of M&A Science, host Kison Patel sits down with Stew Campbell to explore how growth equity supports founder-led companies beyond just capital. Stew shares lessons from his career helping businesses scale while preserving their culture and mission. They discuss how founders should think abo…