 It’s tough to know what you don’t know, but that doesn’t stop Dwight Allen from trying. He strives to spot the as-yet unappreciated trends and developments that could upset the conventional wisdom about the future. He loves helping strategy clients construct scenarios that reveal the “what ifs” they may have overlooked. Currently director of Merger and Acquisition (M&A) studies for Deloitte Research, Dwight has years of experience as a subject-matter specialist on strategy consulting projects in the United States and abroad.
Dwight has led global studies on the future of the communications and energy industries and has participated in numerous projects involving phone company regulation. He has conducted client briefings, workshops and seminars worldwide. He has been quoted in a variety of newspapers and business magazines and has been interviewed on radio and television networks about strategic business issues. He has written articles about M&A topics for Chief Executive, Corporate Dealmaker, Financial Executive and the Journal of Business Strategy. Recently, he conducted a global M&A survey that queried corporations, private equity firms and bankers on an array of issues regarding the M&A process and outlook. Dwight holds a bachelor of arts degree from Ohio State University and a juris doctor degree from Harvard Law School. He is a member of the District of Columbia bar.
My Latest Thinking: Managing Strategic Risk in China’s Unpredictable Automotive Market
Deloitte Research, 2007 (with Steve Aschkenase and Michael Raynor)
The fictional yet instructive tale of how Tian River Motors overcomes strategic obstacles as it seeks to overtake rivals in China’s demanding automotive market. M&A a New Game as Big Players Raise the Bar
Financial Executives International (with Chris Gentle)
The new dynamics of the M&A market in both the United Kingdom and the United States are challenging even the most effective acquisition teams – and require a quicker pace and more sophistication.
Navigating Rough Waters: Why M&A Can Still Work in a Time of Uncertainty
Dwight leads this Deloitte Insights podcast discussing that although global M&A activity and values have been dropping recently, uncertain conditions can also offer new opportunities that pessimists might miss.
Avoiding the M&A Disconnect
In this article from Corporate Dealmaker, Dwight and other Deloitte LLP executives discuss what is required to keep deals on track during the chaotic M&A planning process. The Fallacy of the Foreseeable Future
Management Quarterly, 2006
Interviews with regulators, financial analysts, activists and others outside the utility industry revealed support for developments in the power business few utility executives foresaw, highlighting the danger of being too insular when developing corporate strategy. The Overconfidence Trap
Deloitte Review (with Punit Renjen)
Sometimes M&A deals encounter trouble because they are implemented based on truths that are clear and dependable – but incomplete. Globalization and Energy Supply
Deloitte Research, 2004 (with Michael Raynor)
Supplying energy reliably and at affordable prices is a challenge with repercussions that are difficult to predict. Will global energy supply and demand be reconciled via free markets, or will governments decide through geopolitical competition or even conflict? Leaders in the public and private sectors alike need to address the implications of both possibilities. | 
