In this episode Corporate Partner Tayla Johnston is joined by Beini Guo, a Director in the Corporate Finance team at PwC. Beini, a Chartered Financial Analyst with more than a decade of M&A experience, shares insights into the various services provided by PwC’s Corporate Finance team, the lifecycle of a typical deal, and the impact of global events on valuation. Tayla and Beini also discuss common deal issues, M&A trends and how PwC is utilsing AI.
[01:04] Beini provides an overview of the different teams within PwC's deals umbrella, including M&A advisory, valuation and modelling teams, and specialised infrastructure advisory.
[01:53] Tayla and Beni discuss on how both PwC and MinterEllisonRuddWatts collaborate across different teams to provide comprehensive services to clients.
[02:50] Beini explains the services offered by the M&A advisory and valuation teams, including sell-side and buy-side advisory and capital raising.
[04:55] Beini and Tayla discuss how geopolitical tensions and other global events affect valuations and modelling.
[06:00] Beini discusses the lifecycle of a deal from the corporate finance perspective, focusing on the sell-side process.
[07:35] Beini explains how the process changes depending on whether it’s a partial or full sale of a business.
[08:20] Tayla asks Beini to discuss the key points of client interaction throughout the deal process. The pair discuss the importance of preparation.
[09:26] Beini and Tayla discuss how the approach to the deal can change depending on the type of client (for example; private equity vs. family-owned business) and the size of the deal.
[12:09] Tayla asks about the differences in preparation and approach between competitive bid processes and bilateral negotiations.
[13:36] Beini explains how PwC collaborates with other advisors, including legal, tax, and commercial advisors, to ensure a smooth process.
[14:45] The conversation moves towards common deal issues such as value mismatch, warranties and indemnities, and key person risks.
[18:50] Beini highlights the impact of regulatory bodies like the Overseas Investment Office and New Zealand's Commerce Commission on deal-making and the importance of early legal consultation.
[20:41] Beini shares how PwC is incorporating AI into its processes to enhance efficiency and maintain data security.
[22:41] Beini provides insights into the first quarter of 2025, noting an increase in trade deals and continued
interest in sectors like IT and financial services.
Information in this episode is accurate as at the date of recording Monday, 12 May 2025.
Please contact Tayla Johnston, or our Corporate team if you need legal advice and guidance on any of the topics discussed in the episode.
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