How to Build a Global M&A Machine with Sindre Talleraas Holen Part 1
Release Date: 04/10/2025
The Secrets to Sourcing Proprietary Deals in Private Equity with Ryan Gable
M&A Science
Managing Partner, Ryan discusses how his team uses a hybrid private equity model backed by Barry-Wehmiller to execute people-first, long-term acquisitions. With over 55 deals and zero exits, Forsyth has developed a sourcing and integration playbook that challenges traditional PE norms, focusing instead on trust, cultural alignment, and multi-decade value creation. Ryan breaks down how to build relationships that convert to proprietary deal flow, structure rollover equity with flexibility, and align seller incentives for lasting outcomes. Things you will learn: How to source proprietary...
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Why Pendo Buys Startups (And It’s Not for Revenue) with Todd Olson
M&A Science
, CEO and Co-founder, From buying startups to speed up roadmap execution to preserving founder autonomy post-close, Todd breaks down the real levers behind successful acquisitions. This episode dives into how Pendo thinks about M&A without a corporate development team, why it rarely buys for revenue, and how Todd’s team avoids common post-close integration mistakes by keeping culture, product, and people at the center. Things you will learn: Why speed and product alignment—not revenue—drive most of Pendo’s acquisitions The cost of delaying integration and how Todd...
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Why Beacon Created an AI Committee for M&A—and What They’re Testing Next (Part 2) with Harrison Thomas
M&A Science
, Chief Growth Officer at In Part 2 of our conversation, we go deep into how Beacon is operationalizing M&A. Harrison reveals how they reduced their request list by over 65%, why they require third parties to use their DealRoom, and how integration now begins before the deal is even signed. He also dives into the organization's AI roadmap, their internal CRM transformation, and the surprising challenges of acquiring non-profit organizations. If you want a behind-the-scenes look at building a scalable, tech-forward M&A machine in healthcare, don’t miss this episode. Things you will...
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Why Beacon Created an AI Committee for M&A with Harrison Thomas
M&A Science
, Chief Growth Officer at In Part 1 of our conversation with Harrison Thomas, Chief Growth Officer at Beacon Specialized Living Services, we dive into how one of the largest providers of specialized behavioral health services is rethinking M&A using AI. Harrison shares why Beacon created a dedicated AI committee focused on improving every stage of the deal lifecycle—from sourcing to integration—and what tools and pilots they’re exploring right now. If you want a first-hand look at how AI is already changing M&A in healthcare services, this episode is for you. Things you will...
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How to Break Into M&A: Lessons from Todd Manley Part 2
M&A Science
, VP of Corporate Development Integration at In Part 2 of our conversation with Todd Manley, VP of Corporate Development Integration at Intel, we unpack how professionals from diverse backgrounds can successfully break into M&A and what it takes to build and maintain high-performing deal teams. Todd shares tactical advice on networking, career transitions, team dynamics, and leadership traits he looks for when hiring M&A talent. Whether you’re early in your M&A career or looking to level up, this episode is packed with practical insights to help you navigate the world of...
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Build a Career in M&A: Lessons from Intel’s Todd Manley
M&A Science
, VP of Corporate Development Integration at In this episode, Todd Manley joins Kison Patel to share his non-traditional path into the world of M&A. Starting his career in IT and organizational behavior, Todd brings a unique lens to integration and leadership in corporate development. From his early consulting days to overseeing integrations at Cisco, Symantec, and now Intel, Todd has seen it all. He opens up about what it really takes to thrive in M&A—from career pivots and networking to managing divestitures and leading with empathy. This episode is packed with career insight,...
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Buyer-Led vs. Seller-Led M&A with Matthew Person
M&A Science
, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at In this episode of the M&A Science Podcast, Kison Patel interviews Mathew Person, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at Quickbase. Mathew brings a unique blend of operator, banker, and corp dev experience, making him a strategic leader in buyer-led M&A. Together, they dive deep into how to proactively structure acquisitions, align internal stakeholders, avoid over-rationalization, and ensure integration success. Things You Will Learn: How to design and align around a box of preference (quant + qual criteria) ...
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From Loom to Trello: How Atlassian Scales Through Smart M&A with Sarah Hughes
M&A Science
, Head of Corporate Development and Product Partnerships, Uncover the inside workings of Atlassian’s M&A strategy—from how Sarah’s team sources deals and aligns with product to the importance of relationship-building and a structured, founder-first integration approach. With over seven years of experience leading corporate development at Atlassian, Sarah shares practical lessons on building strategic pipelines, cultivating founder trust, and operationalizing successful integrations across Atlassian's global portfolio Things you will learn: Building long-term relationships with...
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Building Trust in Acquisitions with Dan Pollock
M&A Science
, Vice President of Corporate Development/M&A at Dan shares how he built SAM Companies’ M&A function from the ground up—executing over 30 deals and transforming M&A into a strategic growth engine. Backed by Peak Rock Capital, SAM Companies focuses on acquiring founder-led geospatial and infrastructure services businesses. Dan dives deep into how he balances disciplined diligence with relationship-first sourcing, how his team integrates small companies into a larger framework, and why culture and seller alignment matter as much as price. Whether you're building out corp dev...
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How Blackstone is Unlocking Lasting Value Across Private Equity with Viral Patel
M&A Science
l, CEO of Viral Patel unpacks how the firm is reshaping private equity for the next era. From launching new fund structures to leading thematic investments in sectors like electrification and AI infrastructure, Viral shares how Blackstone builds enduring value—and why alignment, data, and management fit are key to every deal. He also breaks down the cultural values that drive Blackstone’s success and why individual investors are the future of private capital. Things you will learn: How Blackstone’s investment philosophy is built on long-term secular trends What makes a management...
info_outlineSindre Talleraas Holen, Head of M&A at Visma
In Part 1 of this two-part episode, Kison sits down with Sindre from Visma, one of Europe’s most active acquirers in the B2B SaaS space. With over 350+ acquisitions under its belt and a stronghold across Europe and Latin America, Visma has cracked the code for scaling globally while maintaining local authenticity.
Sindre shares how Visma transformed its M&A function from a two-man team to a global machine spanning 20 M&A professionals—and 16,000 employees acting as an extended sourcing engine. He walks through Visma’s origin story rooted in M&A, how a bold cold email launched his own career, and the foundational philosophies behind Visma’s buyer-led approach to deal execution.
Think You'll Learn:
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The surprising power of a cold email—and how it helped launch Visma’s M&A team
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Why Visma prioritizes local presence and cultural nuance in M&A sourcing and negotiation
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How internal alignment and operational champions drive deal success
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The three golden rules for successful M&A at Visma
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Only two weeks left to register!
This half-day event brings together corporate development leaders and M&A experts to explore Buyer-Led M&A™, showing how you can take control of every stage of the deal.
Register Now: DealRoom.net/Summit________
If you’re bouncing between Excel trackers, email threads, shared drives, and separate VDR, you’re not alone-but you are wasting time. Join us for 20 minutes of practical ways to save hours, stay on track, and move deals forward faster.
Join us live and see the difference. Register Now________
Episode Timestamps:
[00:00:00] – Introduction to the Guest & Visma’s M&A History
[00:03:30] – The €100M Sale That Funded Visma’s Acquisition Journey
[00:05:00] – Sindre’s Bold Cold Email That Launched His M&A Career
[00:09:00] – The Three Pillars of Visma’s M&A Approach
[00:10:00] – Aligning Deals with Equity Story & Internal Champions
[00:12:00] – Why M&A Is Always Local: Cultural & Regional Nuances
[00:16:00] – Building a Global M&A Team Embedded in Each Region
[00:17:30] – Trust and Cultural Dynamics in Deal-Making
[00:20:00] – Evolving from Seller-Led to Buyer-Led M&A Strategy
[00:21:30] – Proactive Deal Sourcing and Filtering Inbound Leads
[00:27:00] – Building Trust with Local Sellers & Country-by-Country Differences
[00:29:30] – Rapid Acquisitions vs. Long-Term Relationship Deals
[00:31:00] – Case Example: 13-Year Dialogue Before Acquisition
[00:35:00] – Country-Specific Negotiation Dynamics & Deal Structures
[00:38:00] – Advice for First-Time International Buyer