M&A 2024 Deal Perspectives in the European Union and the UK

Host

Jeff Black

Global Leader M&A Advisory Services, Mercer
Guest speaker

Julian Bell

UK Leader, M&A Advisory Services, Mercer

The “Delivering the Deal” spotlight series is where Mercer’s leading experts discuss the most pressing issues facing business leaders and deal professionals in M&A today.

What should companies be doing now to prepare for deals in 2024? During this episode, our guest, Julian Bell, UK Leader, M&A Advisory Services at Mercer, shares his perspectives on the M&A market in the European Union and the United Kingdom, as well as predictions for 2024.

People risks

"We know from our Delivering the Deal research that when a deal is deemed to have failed to deliver its expected outcomes, 47% of those failures are due to people-related issues."
Due diligence

"It's about getting your people house in order, like selling in the property market. You're not the only person putting your house up for sale. You need to make sure you're as prepared as possible. So it's things like driving synergies and removing any wrinkles you don't want showing up in your due diligence."
Buyer's market

"People will be looking at deals with great creative scrutiny. Especially things that may not have been important when the companies were acquired, like ESG or DEI."
Deal preparation

"Whether you're on the buy side or sell side, private equity or corporate HR, you should be doing everything now to ensure you're prepared when that ramp-up begins to give your deal the best chance of success."