Mergers and Acquisitions

Close up of faculty member with executives sitting in background

Go inside the M&A process—from strategy and valuation to execution and post-merger management. Emerge with the ability and confidence to broker powerful deals and create shareholder value.

  • Dates

    Jan 19 – 24, 2025

  • Status

    Accepting Applications

  • Format

    In-Person

  • Location

    HBS Campus

  • Fee

    $17,500

  • Application Due

    Jan 9, 2025

The program fee covers tuition, program materials, accommodations, and most meals.

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Properly structuring the M&A process builds trust across organizational divides and adds value to your dealmaking team. Amidst continuous disruption, a well-executed merger or acquisition can be the difference between pulling ahead and falling behind.

Mergers and Acquisitions delivers a comprehensive understanding of the entire M&A lifecycle to help you forge strategic partnerships, navigate complex negotiations, and drive corporate growth. You'll gain the critical cross-functional perspective needed to build a strategic advantage and expand your company’s market share.

Key Program Features

Key Topics

  • Examine different strategic approaches suited to private versus public companies in developed, emerging, and distressed economies

  • Explore hedge fund activism, hostile takeovers, cross-border deals, corporate inversions, earn-outs, spin-offs, restructurings, and corporate governance

  • Identify the right targets, assess business value accurately, and perform meaningful due diligence

  • Build a negotiation toolkit and negotiate complex multi-party, multi-issue deals

  • Understand the financial contexts and nuances around a successful acquisition

  • Learn the imperatives for effective and efficient post-merger management

Program Format

  • 6
    days on the HBS campus
  • 12–15
    hours of pre-program work

Case materials and a detailed schedule will be made available approximately two weeks prior to program start.

Who Should Attend

  • C-suite and senior executives involved in M&A activity who want to broaden their knowledge of financial business valuation methods, negotiation strategies, and deal process design

  • Directors of public and private companies

  • Founders and CEOs of established start-ups

  • Investment bankers, transactional lawyers, and private equity investors

Individuals and teams are welcome to attend. Sending two or more representatives from your organization fosters teamwork and amplifies program impact.

Global Perspective

Two female and two male executives sit and smile around a table filled with notes.
3%
Africa
9%
Asia Pacific
19%
Europe
8%
Latin America
14%
Middle East
47%
North America

Top Industries Represented

  • 16%

    Financial

  • 12%

    High Technology

  • 11%

    Professional Services

  • 10%

    Manufacturing

  • 6%

    Chem/Pharma/Bio

  • 5%

    Raw Materials / Energy

  • 4%

    Health Care

  • 4%

    Real Estate / Construction

  • 4%

    Transportation

  • 3%

    Agriculture

Experience

Years Worked

  • 5%

    Less than 10 years

  • 12%

    10-14 years

  • 23%

    15-19 years

  • 22%

    20-24 years

  • 20%

    25-29 years

  • 13%

    30-34 years

  • 3%

    35-39 years

  • 2%

    40 or more

Companies That Have Participated

  • Barclays
  • The Coca-Cola Company
  • ECCO Sko A/S
  • Intel
  • Kohler
  • Lam Research Corporation
  • Raymond Limited
  • Rockwell Automation

Teaching Team

All our executive education programs are developed and taught by a team of widely recognized HBS faculty. Many are skilled educators, groundbreaking researchers, and award-winning authors. Through their board memberships, consulting, and field-based research, they address the complex challenges facing business leaders across the globe.

Faculty Chair

Faculty

The HBS Experience

This in-person program takes place on our storied campus where you'll live and learn at the heart of Boston's vibrant business, academic, and technology hubs.

At HBS, every detail is carefully calibrated to drive your success. Living arrangements and classrooms that spark connection. Unrivaled academic resources. And rejuvenating fitness, dining, and cultural amenities.

View of Executive Education area of HBS campus

The dedicated Executive Education area of campus features multiple classroom buildings and three residence halls around a quad

Residence hall bedroom and bathroom, with woman looking out a window

Our well-appointed residence halls feature private bedrooms, living group lounges, and courtyards to fuel vibrant discussions

Admissions

We admit applicants on a rolling, space-available basis, so you are encouraged to submit your application as soon as possible.

The selective admissions process is based on professional achievement, organizational responsibility, and the admissions criteria for each program as described in Who Should Attend. There are no formal educational requirements for HBS Executive Education programs.

Learn more about the admissions process and requirements.

Program content, dates, schedule, fees, technology platforms, and faculty are subject to change. In accordance with Harvard University policy, Harvard Business School does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, sex or sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, veteran status, or disability in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment in its programs and activities.