This research report provides insight and action points for corporates seeking to win in an increasingly competitive Mergers & Acquisition (M&A) environment. The report highlights how corporates are frequently being beaten in competitive auctions by Private Equity (PE), due in large part to the latter's superior transaction execution capability.

Research findings
Most corporates need a successful M&A strategy to deliver the growth their shareholders expect and so need to up-grade their organisational capabilities around M&A. Corporate fight back identifies five core disciplines to focus on:

• Clarity of purpose: Too few businesses see M&A as a core discipline, exhibiting clarity and rigor across all phases of every transaction.
• Parent power: More emphasis should be placed on the discipline of exiting businesses at the right time and for the right price.
• Know your prey: Devote significant resources to identifying and understanding a pre-approved list of targets, well ahead of them coming into play.
• Incentives to execute: Focus on setting and achieving near-term objectives that lead to intense early action.
• Integration: Treat integration as a separate part of the overall transaction and start planning for it in the pre-deal phase.