MerGerS and aCQuiSitionS
of strategic or functional leadership, or are otherwise well placed to collaborate with colleagues in other disciplines, to create longterm sustainable value for their organisations. Business leaders typically perform director or management roles, while strategic business partners support and participate in decisionmaking and direction at various levels of the organisation. The organisation was founded on this basic principle of multi-disciplinary professional collaboration. Today many financial professionals focus on just one or two of the pieces of the overall business picture i.e., valuation, legal, accounting, tax, etc. They fail to completely understand the owner’s fundamental personal needs and comprehensively evaluate the company’s overall business performance and future growth potential. "The biggest mistake that consultants make is to overspecialise...clients start out, saying, `I do need an expert in this area.' But, ultimately, they stick with the professionals who provide synthesis, a big picture view, and more than just expertise," says consultant Andrew Sobel in the book Clients for Life. In today's economic environment, the lines between formerly distinct disciplines are fading, and experienced technical experts require new advisory skills to better understand and collaborate with other experts essential to the completion of successful M&A and other corporate financial transactions. As the first recognised standard of professional competence for these types of M&A transactional advisory services, the CM&AA designation complements and extends the value of all other existing
credentials and academic degrees, such as JD, MBA, or CPA. The CM&AA designation serves to maintain the highest recognised standards of professional excellence for middle market corporate financial advisory and transaction services, as well as to provide a benchmark for professional achievement within that overall body of knowledge. M&A advisors have an unprecedented opportunity in the middle market, with the generational transfer of wealth and capital being deployed by private equity and corporate investors. Because of the need for much better decision-making information in this middle market, leading certified members of AM&AA have just recently published: Middle Market M&A: Handbook for Investment Banking and Business Consulting. This book is a must-read for investment bankers; M&A intermediaries and specialists; CPAs and accountants; valuation experts; deal and transaction attorneys; wealth managers and investors; corporate development leaders; consultants and advisors; and CEOs and CFOs. In addition to this, the AM&AA is now working in close collaboration with several institutional partners, to build a new webbased ‘centre of excellence’ that will offer access to a directory of highly qualified subject matter experts, a central repository for research and study materials, as well as a clearinghouse of best practice, process and standards. It will also offer a source of both transaction and educational opportunities on the given subject or topic, as well as the establishment and maintenance of web-based dedicated collaboration/idea generation facilities (www.midmarketplace.com).
Michael R. Nall, CPA, CM&AA, CGMA Founder, Alliance of M&A Advisors 200 East Randolph St., 24th Floor Chicago, IL. 60601 Phone: 312-856-9590 mnall@amaaonline.org
28 • GBM • April 2012
www.amaaonline.org My Blog: michael-nall.blogspot.com New Book: www.middlemarketma.com
Michael Nall is the founder of the Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors® (www. amaaonline.org). The AM&AA is the leading association and credentialing body for 800 + middle market M&A professionals in 20 countries, providing connections, best practices, and education. An experienced corporate financial advisor with a proven track record as a transaction advisor for privately held companies, Mr. Nall is a published author and recognised speaker on the valuation, growth, and sale of middle market companies. With the benefit of over 25 years of experience in the industry, he leads the AM&AA development and launch of a ‘first of its kind’ professional training and credential designation for the independent corporate financial advisory community: ‘Certified Merger & Acquisition Advisor’ (CM&AA). A licensed and retired CPA, having sold his business over 25 years ago, Mr. Nall holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Accounting, graduating with honors from Eastern Illinois University.