The Finance Monthly M&A Awards 2021

F i nance Month l y M&A Awards 2021 Therefore, the consolidation of these companies, or in particular some sectors, will be expected. What would you say are the typical financial risks associated with a merger or acquisition in the current environment? In accordance with specific investment needs and acquisition criteria of an M&A deal, the ability to manage and facilitate the process in full length must be carefully executed - from target identification, strategy development, conduct of due diligence, execution and closing of the acquisition deal to bring maximum value. The valuation of the deal whereby largely determined by the willingness of the investor to pay and cash flow play an important part in the decision-making process. What are the particular challenges of assisting clients with planning their M&A strategy, considering the ever-changing nature of the sector? Assisting clients with M&A is like fitting a saddle correctly in terms of meeting their expectations, which are sometimes difficult to meet, especially if both parties have different needs and goals. As an M&A adviser, finding the right buyer is key when selling a company to ensure that the business value is optimised for our clients. On top of analysing the market and ascertaining the appropriate valuation metrics, negotiating the terms of the transactions are crucial to building sustainable long-term value for the shareholders. market amid a weakened economy. The pandemic has created an entirely new and unchartered paradigm as dealmakers sifted through the slump for opportunities while some companies prefer to best err on the caution to observe the situation before making any moves. The level of disruption currently happening has led to new opportunities for both buyers and sellers. Consolidation might be the best chance for survival particularly because the value of a once stable and well-capitalised company becomes attractive now. What do you think will be the long-term impact of the pandemic on the M&A sector in Singapore? Businesses must assess the long-term effect on their competitive landscape instead of a bright spot in the bleak economy. Sectors that were clearly impacted by COVID-19 disruptions are travel, tourismandF&Bindustries.These were considered as “non-essential” when the Singapore Government declared a two-month circuit-breaker in our fight against the pandemic. As a result of safe management measures, most businesses were forced to pivot. "Sectors that were clearly impacted by COVID-19 disruptions are travel, tourism and F&B industries. These were considered as “non-essential” when the Singapore Govern- ment declared a two- month circuit-breaker in our fight against the pandemic." - SPECIAL FEATURE - - 73 -