Oana Ijdelea, Managing Partner of Ijdelea & Associates and Jennifer Fondervay, Founder of Day1 Ready™, told us during the Forbes Power Breakfast event what their vision is regarding adapting to uncertain times, the role of the human side in business, but also what the secrets of female leadership are.
Click here to read the full article in Forbes where Jennifer and Oana discuss Jennifer’s Forbes article, “Women Possess a Secret Weapon for Merger and Acquisition Success” and learn about the 5 superpowers women bring to the table.
To be a ‘lame duck’ is to lose power. Or so the thinking goes. Popularized in politics, the term lame duck refers to an elected official still in office who will soon be succeeded. The official typically experiences diminished influence and authority as they await their successor’s assumption of power. President Joe Biden’s extended lame duck period since withdrawing from the presidential election, is a perfect example of a leader appearing less effective at the end of his term as the public focuses on the newcomer.
Click here to read the full article in Forbes, where Jennifer talks about how ineffective leadership during a transition can undermine M&A deal success. She outlines the three leadership behaviors that can hinder post-deal results, and three strategies for being an effective leader during the transition.
Host Kelsey Thomas, chats with Jennifer Fondrevay, Human Capital Advisor. Jennifer speaks to the importance of the human capital element in M&A as well as her recent article on the superpowers of women in M&A.
U.S. Steel has sent mailers to homes in Western Pennsylvania with a more direct appeal: “Tell your elected officials to support the U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel partnership.”
It’s common for companies in takeover talks to notify customers or, for major sales, lobby members of Congress, according to mergers and acquisitions consultant Jennifer Fondrevay.
But this is the first time Fondrevay has seen a company talk directly to voters in this way, which she said is a product of the political climate.
“If you go back and see what the mergers and acquisitions deal ratio is, it has slowed with the current administration,” Fondrevay said. “I think they made it almost a platform, which is why (U.S. Steel) may be going to extreme lengths.”
Read The MonValley Independent full article to read about Jennifer’s insights alongside those of Rep. Chris Deluzio and Kristin Kanthak, a political science professor at the University of Pittsburgh.
As political pundits try to identify Donald Trump’s vice-presidential pick, one name leading the dark horse list is former presidential rival, Nikki Haley. Haley surprised the political world when she announced she would vote for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Her feelings for the former president are no secret. Watching how Haley and Trump have navigated their rivalry, reminded me of numerous merger and acquisition (M&A) deals where rival companies came together. Some successfully, more – not so much.
Valuable lessons can be learned from the challenges rival companies face when partnering and what is required for their alliance to succeed. Who knows? The lessons may even be helpful guidance for politicians, as they consider how to make their partnership successful where it counts: a general election.
Jennifer recounts her eye-opening experience interviewing over 60 CEOs and discusses how women can transform the M&A landscape by leveraging their unique skills. Get inspired by real-life stories of female M&A professionals who have become trusted advisors by tapping into their foresight and emotional intelligence.
Jennifer also offers actionable advice for women aspiring to board roles, emphasizing the importance of human capital management and the often-overlooked process of re-interviewing for jobs post-acquisition.
Explore how women’s intuition, empathy, and foresight can reveal unseen factors, foster open communication, and anticipate future challenges in M&A. Jennifer shares a compelling story about a woman who kept a deal on track by minimizing ego conflicts and discusses the importance of having allies in the boardroom.
Discover the intricate interplay between data-driven decisions and cultural alignment in M&A. Jennifer highlights the often-underappreciated superpowers women bring to the table, such as intuition and emotional intelligence, and provides actionable advice for women seeking board roles. Jennifer also touches on the critical aspect of re-interviewing for jobs post-acquisition and its impact on employee morale.
Businesses have considered merger and acquisition (M&A) deals as a viable growth strategy for more than a century. In the past, these deals have typically been transactional in nature, pursued for economies of scale and to consolidate costs. But today, in an era where companies need to disrupt themselves or be disrupted, organizations are increasingly pursuing M&A for growth through business transformation.
For example, General Mills (GM) has evolved its M&A approach over the past decade. “Prior to 2017, General Mills largely pursued more opportunistic deals, expanding its consumer packaged goods offering with strategic acquisitions like Annie’s organic and natural food products,” shared Doug Power, former Global Head of M&A for General Mills. “In 2017, we pursued transformational growth with our acquisition of Blue Buffalo Pet Products, Inc. for $8 billion. The acquisition positioned General Mills as the leader in the Wholesome Natural pet food category and successfully reshaped our product portfolio.”
In the noise that follows a merger or acquisition (M&A), the louder voices more often break through to command the attention of senior leaders. Extroverts, with their outgoing and assertive nature, tend to better position themselves to take on roles of responsibility as leadership evaluates where everyone fits within the new structure. However, as companies unite post-deal and the criteria for success evolve, leaders with different profiles can begin to shine. Introverted leaders, with their capacity for deep listening, thoughtful analysis, and a calm demeanor, can be exceptionally effective in navigating the intricacies of integration. When facing the uncertainty of an untested strategy, considering the leadership styles of both extroverts and introverts is not just beneficial but necessary.
Women’s distinct deal-making talents became evident during a conversation with a male CEO I was interviewing for my M&A book. “You know, a man would never write this kind of book. It would never dawn on a guy to be addressing this emotional stuff. From my experience, it’s how people act or don’t act that dooms the deal. Women’s ability to anticipate and provide guidance on the more personal aspects of a deal is invaluable,” he suggested. Indeed.
As an M&A consultant, focused on the people piece of mergers and acquisitions, I’ve spent countless hours in due diligence and integration meetings. Men tend to be the majority in these meetings, yet women are growing in number and playing bigger roles. According to Datasite’s 2022 study on the changing landscape of M&A, women are a rising force in dealmaking, comprising nearly half of the Millennial and Gen Z workforce employed in mergers and acquisitions. This is a positive shift, as the CEO noted.
How can you turn things round if you encounter difficulties when leading a new team? Jennifer & Harsha Boralessa discussed how she dealt with this potentially tricky situation on the Reframe & Reset Your Career podcast.
In this episode, we will learn about potential strategies for navigating the uncertainty, disruption and fear that comes from mergers, acquisitions and other business transformation.
“What they wanted to know is how was I going to help them in the present moment, right? They hadn’t had a leader in a year and … I worked that much harder to see how can I help this team? What value do I bring to this team? It’s not about what I’ve done in the past, but it’s what I can do now to help them in the future, moving forward. It made me work so much harder … it was about what I could do to contribute to their future.” ~Jennifer J. Fondrevay
