Best Corporatedevelopment Podcasts (2025)

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

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4h 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

4d 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

7d 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

11d 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

14d 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

18d 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

21d 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

24d 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

28d 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

1M 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

1M 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

1M 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

1M 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

2M 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

2M 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

2M 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

2M 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…

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How to Scale Global M&A with Culture, Strategy, and AI with Rob Brown, CEO of Lincoln International 57:52

2M ago57:52

57:52

Rob Brown, CEO of Lincoln International Explore how one of the world’s top M&A advisory firms scales through acquisition. Rob shares his leadership journey, reveals how Lincoln actively manages culture during growth, and explains why integration starts from Day 1. Rob and Kison also dive into cross-border M&A, the rise of buyer-led strategies, and …

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How Private Equity Firms Structure M&A Deals with Jon Dhanawade 1:04:41

2M ago1:04:41

1:04:41

Jon Dhanawade, Private Equity M&A Partner at Mayer Brown In this episode of M&A Science, Kison Patel sits down with Jon Dhanawade to unpack how private equity firms structure M&A deals—what works, what doesn’t, and how to manage risk every step of the way. Jon brings legal insight from both sides of the table, sharing practical strategies for align…

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Lessons from 90+ Deals: Questex CEO, Paul Miller on Cultural Fit, Value Creation & Post-Close Audits 57:46

2M ago57:46

57:46

Paul Miller, CEO of Questex Paul Miller joins us to share his extensive experience in M&A, having led more than 90 acquisitions throughout his career. Paul reveals how Questex uses a proactive, buyer-led approach focused on culture, strategic alignment, and integration discipline. The conversation dives into the importance of early relationship-bui…

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How ZRG’s CEO Built a 17-Deal M&A Engine with Larry Hartmann 58:58

2M ago58:58

58:58

Larry Hartmann, CEO of ZRG Partners Larry Hartman, CEO of ZRG Partners dives into aligning strategic M&A with scalable growth. Larry shares how he transformed ZRG into one of the fastest-growing executive search and talent advisory firms through 17 acquisitions in just four years. They break down how to compete with strategic buyers, incentivize fo…

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4 Ways to Grow a Multi-Site Business While Protecting Core Values with Clare Roberts 53:34

3M ago53:34

53:34

Clare Roberts OBE, Founder and CEO at Kids Planet In this episode of M&A Science, Clare Roberts shares her journey of founding Kids Planet and growing it into one of the UK’s largest childcare providers with 225 nurseries. She reveals how she balanced organic growth with strategic acquisitions while staying true to her company’s values. Clare discu…

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Managing Risks and Liabilities in M&A with Tina Kassangana 1:06:25

3M ago1:06:25

1:06:25

Tina Kassangana, Corporate & M&A Lawyer, Associate at Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP Tina Kassangana joins usto explore how legal counsel manages risk throughout the M&A lifecycle. With firsthand insight from a practicing M&A attorney, this conversation dives into the real-world complexities of diligence, purchase agreement structuring, reps and warrant…

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Buyer-Led M&A: How To with Carson Group's Michael Belloumini 57:49

3M ago57:49

57:49

Michael Belluomini, Senior Vice President, Mergers and Acquisitions, Carson Group Kison sits down with Michael Belluomini to unpack how Carson Group scaled its M&A strategy—shifting from internal partner investments to sourcing proprietary external deals at volume. Michael shares tactical insights into managing concurrent transactions, building a s…

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How Barry-Wehmiller Built a $3.6B M&A Machine Fueled by Culture with Bob and Kyle Chapman 1:03:41

3M ago1:03:41

1:03:41

Bob Chapman, Chairman and CEO, Barry-Wehmiller Kyle Chapman, President, Barry-Wehmiller In this episode of M&A Science, Kison Patel sits down with Bob Chapman and his son Kyle Chapman to explore how Barry-Wehmiller built a $3.6B global business through 140+ acquisitions—by putting people first. Bob, known for pioneering the "Truly Human Leadership"…