TheSynergy Solution by Mark SirowerJeff Weirens

The new M&A bible.

Few actions can change the value of a company—and its competitive future—as quickly and dramatically as an acquisition. Yet most companies fail to create shareholder value from these deals, and in many cases they destroy it. It doesn't have to be this way.

In The Synergy Solution, Deloitte's Mark Sirower and Jeff Weirens show acquirers how to develop and execute an M&A strategy—end to end—that not only avoids the pitfalls that so many companies fall into but also creates real, long-term shareholder value. This strategy includes how to:

• Become a prepared "always on" acquirer
• Test the investment thesis and DCF valuation of a deal
• Plan for a successful Announcement Day, and properly communicate synergy promises to investors and other stakeholders
• Realize those promised synergies through integration planning and post-close execution
• Manage change and build a new, combined organization

Sirower and Weirens provide invaluable background to those considering M&A, laying out the issues they have to consider, how to analyze them, and how to plan and execute the deal effectively. They also show those who have already started the process of M&A how to maximize their chances of success.

There's an art and a science to getting mergers and acquisitions right, and this powerful book provides the insights and strategies acquirers need to find success at every stage of an often complex and perilous process.

Mark Sirower is a leading authority on M&A and has advised on hundreds of global transactions. He is a leader in Deloitte's M&A and Restructuring practice and, previously, was global M&A leader at Boston Consulting Group. He teaches M&A at the NYU Stern School of Business and is the author of the M&A bestseller, The Synergy Trap.

Jeff Weirens leads Deloitte's global Financial Advisory business, which includes mergers, acquisitions, and restructuring, and serves on Deloitte's Global Executive Committee. He is a trusted adviser to senior executives and boards of directors and has advised on hundreds of acquisitions and divestitures, including many of the world's most iconic transactions.

You can find the authors on LinkedIn.

A strategic guide for maximizing value at every step of the complicated and often perilous M+A process—from two experts at Deloitte.

• Walks readers through every part of the M+A process in a clear, concise, and actionable way—unlike nearly all other books on the topic, which cover one part of the process.
• Details the common pitfalls that a lot of companies fall victim to.
• Author-led research based on over twenty years of M&A deals.
• Case studies based in the authors' work with clients.

Audience: CFOs, CEOs, and other executives; managers and leaders charged with planning and executing an acquisition; boards.

"This volume provides an important, rigorous toolkit for students and M&A practitioners." — CHOICE, the publication of the American Library Association

Advance Praise for The Synergy Solution:

"The Synergy Solution is an instant M&A classic. In their no-nonsense approach, Sirower and Weirens describe in great detail the discipline and hard work required throughout the M&A process to realize the promised value from deals and avoid the pitfalls. I highly recommend this book for any leader who wants to play the acquisition game." — BOB SWAN, Operating Partner, Andreessen Horowitz; former CEO, Intel Corporation

"The Synergy Solution provides a complete how-to on M&A. If you only read one book, make it this one—from case studies to practical examples, readers can connect with the fundamentals and, at the same time, learn what to expect from a real-life merger or acquisition." — MARK LITTLE, President and CEO, Suncor Energy

"Finally, a definitive guide on M&A and the creation of shareholder value that makes sense. From M&A strategy and communicating with investors to the details of integration and change, The Synergy Solution delivers what it promises. A must-read for CFOs and senior executives involved in M&A." — FRANK D'AMELIO, CFO and Executive Vice President, Global Supply, Pfizer

"The Synergy Solution is an important achievement and a revealing and comprehensive book on mergers and acquisitions. Packed with data and details, it will be of great interest to directors who are evaluating M&A proposals as they fulfill their governance duties, as well as to senior executives who will be called upon to formulate these deals and successfully execute them." — SCOTT BARSHAY, Chair of Corporate Department, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison

"The Synergy Solution is a powerful resource revealing the end-to-end development and successful execution of M&A strategies—including the art and the science of getting deals done and done right. This is the practical guidebook to read if you're considering M&A or building a career in this field." — JOHN LO, CFO, Tencent

"One of the enduring mysteries of finance over the last quarter century has been the persistent belief among CEOs and boards that despite the significant amount of M&A activity that results in value destruction, 'our deal will be different.' In this comprehensive book, two leading M&A experts lay out with clarity and persuasiveness a detailed approach for how your deal can, in fact, be different. A must-read for every practitioner—and every student." — RAGHU SUNDARAM, Richard R. West Dean and Edward I. Altman Professor of Credit & Debt Markets, NYU Stern School of Business

"Growth and M&A ideas abound, so leaders must exercise great discipline as they negotiate deals and commit precious financial and human capital. This excellent book elegantly weaves insights across the elements of successful M&A and will serve as an essential primer for boards as they face the challenges of not only assessing proposed deals—with forward-looking growth synergies—but also holding management accountable for delivering tangible results." — TERESA BRIGGS, board member, DocuSign, ServiceNow, Snowflake, and Warby Parker

"With The Synergy Solution, Sirower and Weirens provide an insightful, accessible, and extremely useful road map for senior management and boards that are considering or executing M&A activity. All potential acquirers should be able to answer the straightforward questions that structure The Synergy Solution. Sirower and Weirens guide readers through the many considerations necessary to avoid bad deals and realize the potential of good ones. Their book is a must-read. Acquirers ignore it at their peril." — MARK W. NELSON, Anne and Elmer Lindseth Dean and Professor of Accounting, Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University

"Trust is foundational to any well thought-out M&A transaction. The Synergy Solution explores step by step not only the practical aspects of conducting a successful M&A transaction but also the rigors of the communication and announcement processes relevant to building, from day one, that trust between business leaders and stakeholders." — SANDRA SUCHER, professor, Harvard Business School; coauthor, The Power of Trust