Introducing The Dealist Podcast: Elevate Your M&A Strategies

We’re excited to announce the launch of Intralinks’ new podcast, The Dealist, now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube. Created to explore the complexities of corporate and private equity (PE) mergers and acquisitions (M&A), the podcast delivers expert insights to help dealmakers execute more strategic deals. Each episode delivers actionable takeaways and compelling real-world war stories to help you refine your approach and drive stronger results.

Whether you're a seasoned dealmaker or just starting out, the podcast offers valuable insights and perspectives to help shape the strategy of your next transaction.

Season one zeroes in on due diligence, offering a deep exploration into the critical early stages of the deal process. The debut episode, “Advanced M&A Diligence Strategies: Elevating Your Framework,” is a powerful start to the series. Hosted by Catherine Ford, it features two esteemed guests, Valeriya Vitkova and Scott Moeller, from the M&A Research Centre (MARC) at Bayes Business School in London.

Together, they explore key findings from The Dynamics of Due Diligence, produced in association with Bayes Business School; the evolution of diligence methodologies; and how dealmakers can better position themselves for success.

Key highlights from the episode

The evolving nature of due diligence: Valeriya Vitkova discusses how due diligence has become more complex over the past decade. She highlights striking data points, such as the 64 percent increase in diligence timelines, which now stretch to over six months on average. She also notes the significant expansion in the number of participants, rising from 150 people a decade ago to over 250 today, and the staggering volume of 7,500 files shared via virtual data rooms (VDRs).

Shifting regulatory priorities: Diligence today demands close attention to emerging regulatory challenges. Vitkova breaks down areas of heightened focus, including antitrust policies, labor market impacts, foreign direct investment (FDI) regimes and cybersecurity. She also emphasizes the growing relevance of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) considerations, citing Europe’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) as a key example.

The role of technology in diligence: Moeller reflects on the industry’s transformation from physical data rooms to advanced VDRs equipped with AI tools. These advancements allow dealmakers to access, analyze and update large volumes of data more efficiently. Moeller points out how this evolution, while improving technical processes, still requires the irreplaceable human elements of expertise and intuition.

Human intuition vs. data analytics: Despite the prevalence of big data and artificial intelligence (AI), Moeller highlights the ongoing significance of “gut instinct” in dealmaking. He recalls a personal anecdote from early in his career, where he and a colleague were tasked with assessing a manufacturing plant despite lacking the relevant technical expertise. This story illustrates the critical importance of having the right people in place to evaluate specific areas during the diligence process. 

Listen now

Stream the debut episode of The Dealist below. Don’t miss this opportunity to sharpen your approach and stay ahead. Be sure to subscribe and share The Dealist with fellow dealmakers who could benefit from these insights.