The forces of globalization and technological change have created a highly competitive and dynamic business world where mergers and acquisitions are increasingly used to seek competitive advantage and maximize value for shareholders.

Engaging in M&A activity is not a low-risk endeavor, so it is imperative that executives know how to navigate this landscape. At Chicago Booth, you will learn not only from M&A successes but also from M&A failures to better evaluate risk and put frameworks and tools to practice in a risk-free environment.

During this program, you will:

• Develop a strategic plan for M&A activity.
• Analyze strategic alternatives to M&A.
• Understand the M&A due diligence process and develop your due diligence skills.
• Understand business valuation techniques.
• Implement a strategy for integration and restructuring.
• Structure the deal to minimize tax consequences.
• Learn how to best protect shareholder value during M&A.
• Understand the use of M&A by large public corporations, privately held middle-market firms, and private equity firms.
• Learn a playbook of M&A best practices.

Format and Location

Live-online cohorts: Our live-online programs are delivered in a synchronous format where you'll engage with faculty, industry leaders, and a global set of peers in an interactive, high-impact virtual environment. The benefit to this format is that you'll receive Booth's rigorous content in short, digestible sessions held multiple times weekly. For more details, view our M&A live-online program schedule.

FORMAT

Our live-online programs are delivered in a synchronous format where you’ll engage with faculty and peers in an interactive, high-impact virtual environment. The benefit of this format is that you’ll receive valuable content in short, digestible sessions to help you absorb the program materials in-between sessions.

SCHEDULE

This program features live sessions held Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays starting at 8:30am CT over a two-week period.

Lectures will be recorded and available to participants any time during the program and for three weeks thereafter. Discussion groups will not be recorded.

View the full program schedule here.

This program is designed for senior and upper-middle level executives who are now or will be involved in M&A activity. CFOs, CEOs, and general counsel considering or currently involved in M&A activity will find this program immensely valuable.

Titles include: C-suite, general manager, vice president, director of business development, director of finance, strategic planner, business unit manager, general counsel, and analyst.

Optional Accounting / Finance Refresher Online

Prior to the program, participants gain access to a web-based, learner-driven program to help them refresh important accounting and finance concepts. Each module features self-tests, allowing participants to tailor their learning and focus their time on the concepts least familiar to them. This multi-media tool is used as a way to establish a baseline of knowledge to make the time in the classroom as productive as possible.
 

Strategy Formulation

• Create competitive advantage through acquisition, merger, divestiture, or alliance
• Determine attractiveness and fit of a candidate
• Analyze the alternatives to M&A such as strategic alliances or joint ventures

Investment Decisions and Financing

• Understand valuation methods in evaluating M&A prospects
• Consider capital structure and financing choices and understand/compute pro forma metrics
• Review an LBO transaction and financing structure
• Understand market reaction to transactions

Tax Implications

• Understand tax implications of various tax structures for both the buyer and seller
• Structure transactions to maximize the seller's after-tax wealth and to minimize the buyer’s after-tax cost
• Become familiar with various valuation implications of tax planning for mergers, acquisitions and divestitures

M&A Strategy and Target Identification, Deal Phase, and Due Diligence

• Develop an end-to-end process view of corporate development and M&A
• Obtain tools to identify and prioritize acquisition targets
• Test and validate a potential deal thesis
• Learn due diligence activities necessary to test an investment thesis
• Develop synergy estimates
• Identify key risk issues to be investigated in due diligence
• Develop a due diligence plan

Postdeal Integration

• Develop a strategy for successful integration
• Manage post-merger integration with focus on shareholder value
• Understand the decisions and processes that impact the new organization's strategy, structure, and culture