There are often stories on how technology, and most notably AI will disrupt the M&A market and even make M&A advisors largely redundant. The authors of these posts argue that the process of selling and buying, matching assets with buyers and setting the right valuation levels can also be done in an almost fully automated way, without the need of human intervention.

We take a different view – we believe that technology designed to enhance the human process rather than make it obsolete will change the industry for the better. With the adoption of the right M&A tech-stack, team resources can be freed up and re-allocated on projects that add significant value and provide additional personal development.  Technology mixed with focused human input and enhancements will ultimately lead to an increase in the number of mandates and fees for early adopters.

We do not see a future where technology replaces M&A professionals. But to remain competitive in the longer term it is vitally important to ensure there needs to be a change in mindset from dealmakers around the way business is being done and M&A processes are run. Decision makers need to stop thinking of digital tools as a means to support only their juniors and instead realize it is strategic to their success and can put them one step ahead of their competition and provide them with a competitive edge. 

In this guide we take a look at why a digital M&A strategy should be guided directly from the top with execution being owned by frontline client-facing bankers, we show why it is important  to realize that building a best-in-class M&A technology stack can take time and why building your ideal tech stack should not be seen as a cost cutting exercise.

Download our free eGuide to see the do’s and don’ts, plus see who the rising stars are in the M&A tech stack.