Whether they are strategic mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, consolidations, or a company completely getting hold of another business, the process is always accompanied by various types of challenges. The target companies are more concerned about the integrity of their sensitive documents. On the other hand, buyers wish to extract as much information about the target company as they can.
However, that’s not the only thing where both parties clash. Mergers and acquisitions are also about technical expertise, business analysis, knowledge of psychology, and the ability to cope with language barriers, especially in a cross-border M&A.
It’s great if both companies have unbiased representatives for the negotiations. But hiring a professional M&A negotiator can solve most of your problems and help you get the best out of your M&A transaction.
5 top qualities of an M&A negotiator
The qualities an M&A negotiator should have to vary greatly and depend on a specific scenario, but let us overview the most important ones. These include:
- Written and oral communication skills
- Data analysis skills
- Ability to foresee and manage risks
- Calmness and multitasking
- Time management skills
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1. Written and oral communication skills
The first thing an M&A negotiator must-have is great written and communication skills. Communication barriers are a common issue when two businesses try to get on the same page. In fact, language barriers add more trouble to cross-border M&As. Even the ways of expressions are different in the same language.
A good negotiator must be able to convey messages from both sides in an unbiased way and overcome any language barriers. Having great business writing skills are also a must-have for the negotiator.
2. Great data analysis skills
During mergers and acquisitions, highly efficient analysis of corporate data is vital. If it is a consolidation or merger, it is important to analyze the strengths, weaknesses, financial standings, etc., of both companies. Similarly, in the case of an acquisition, the data of the target company should be analyzed in a secure and optimal way.
A good negotiator has great data analysis skills, and most importantly, the data will be analyzed in an unbiased manner. For example, if the target company believes that something particular is its strength, but the data suggests otherwise, a successful negotiator will be able to bring the truth into the open. Well-analyzed data makes things easy for buyers.
3. Ability to foresee and manage risks
Although companies do their homework and consider the possible risks and opportunities after the transaction, a good negotiator can take it to the next level. A negotiator must know the market trends, business processes, the nature of the markets, and other important factors that can affect a merger or acquisition in the future.
Only a well-informed negotiator can guide both sides about the risks and opportunities which both parties missed initially. Most importantly, a skillful negotiator will try to persuade the clients by guiding them on how they can overcome threats, risks, or adversaries, creating more chances for a successful deal.
4. Calmness and multitasking
Calmness, self-confidence, and the ability to adapt to changing situations are what make a great M&A negotiator. The emergence of new information, scenarios, conflicts, and risks during the M&A process is a normal thing. But it can create discomfort on one or both sides. This is where a negotiator steps in by remaining calm, composed, unbiased, and focused and helps both parties do the same. Good negotiators try to develop feasible solutions or a way out of newly arisen conflicts.
Second, multitasking is a mandatory skill for any M&A negotiator. It is obvious that the negotiators will be dealing with multiple fronts simultaneously, and only the ability to multitask can help them cope with the pressure and workload.
5. Time management skills
Time management is one of the most important soft skills for any professional, let alone a negotiator. Mergers and acquisitions usually have very tight deadlines, and therefore time is of great essence. An experienced and highly skilled negotiator will create feasible timelines for every step or activity in the process.
It is also important for the negotiator to timely inform the company if the deadlines are too tight or infeasible. In fact, negotiators can help businesses create more realistic and feasible deadlines for mergers and acquisitions.
How can negotiators use technology for mergers and acquisitions?
Technologies like virtual data rooms can help in simplifying and streamlining mergers and acquisitions, especially cross-border M&A. Here is how:
- Virtual data room software provides a certified and highly secure platform for data sharing.
- Sellers, buyers, and negotiators can engage in communications directly.
- All parties involved in the transaction can track the progress of the deal.
- Data room software provides 100% security and control over due diligence data.
- Audit reports in online data room software give buyers and sellers complete information on what is happening in the data room, ultimately keeping everything transparent.
Final words
Hiring a professional M&A negotiator boosts the chances of successful mergers and acquisitions. Good negotiators try to solve conflicts and help companies minimize the risks involved. Modern-day negotiators use tech like virtual data room software to speed up a local or cross-border M&A.
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Lucas Brown 
