Latest / Executive Careers with Fexingo: VP, C-Suite, and Senior Leadership Career Strategy / How Senior Leaders Time Their Transition with the M&A Cycle
Transcript
- Lucas: If you're a senior leader thinking about making a move, there's one macro factor you probably aren't tracking closely enough — and that's the mergers and acquisitions cycle. Not the stock market, not GDP — the deal calendar. Luna: Because M&A creates both disruption and opportunity at the executive level. I've seen it firsthand. Lucas: Right. And right now, mid-2026, we're in a pretty active M&A environment. Refinitiv data from last quarter shows global M&A volume was up about 18 percent year-over-year in Q2. That's significant. And for every deal, there's a ripple effect on the executive job market. Luna: Let's break down how that works. When a company gets acquired, what typically happens to the top team? Lucas: Two things. First, the acquiring company often has duplicate functions — two CFOs, two heads of marketing, two chief strategy officers. So there's almost always restructuring. Some senior people get let go, and those are experienced candidates hitting the market. But second, the acquirer may also need new leadership to manage the integration or to run the combined entity. That creates openings for external hires. Luna: So the timing matters. If you're looking, you want to be visible right when those needs crystallize. Lucas: Exactly. The key window is roughly three to six months after a deal is announced. That's when the acquirer has figured out their org structure and starts recruiting externally for roles they can't fill internally. I've coached several clients who landed senior roles at companies that had just done a big acquisition. They positioned themselves as integration specialists. Luna: What about the target company's executives? Should they stay or go? Lucas: It depends. Many earn-outs or retention packages require you to stay for a year or two. But if you're not part of the post-deal plan, you'll have a better shot at a new role if you start networking before the integration gets messy. The worst position is to wait until you're let go — then you're competing with dozens of other former colleagues. Luna: Good point. So signal to recruiters early. What's a concrete way to do that? Lucas: Track the deal flow in your industry. Use a service like Mergermarket or just follow the financial press. When you see a deal that affects a company you're interested in, reach out to the recruiters who cover that sector. Say something like, 'I see you placed the CFO at the acquirer last year. With this new deal, are they looking for integration talent?' That shows you're aware and strategic. Luna: It also helps to know which companies are serial acquirers. They're constantly reshuffling. Lucas: Right. Companies like Danaher, Thermo Fisher, or in tech, Salesforce — they do frequent tuck-in acquisitions. That creates a steady drumbeat of executive openings. If you want to move, monitor their deal announcements. Luna: There's a flip side though. If your own company is a target, you might want to leave before the deal closes, to avoid being caught in the layoffs. Lucas: Yes, but timing that exit is tricky. If you leave too early, you may forfeit a retention bonus or severance. If you leave too late, you're seen as a flight risk. The sweet spot is usually right after the deal is announced but before integration starts. That's when your expertise is most valuable to other firms. Luna: Let's talk about culture. A lot of senior leaders underestimate how different the culture will be post-acquisition. Lucas: That's a huge factor. I've seen executives join an acquirer thinking they'll run the combined business, only to find that the acquirer's culture is bureaucratic and risk-averse. My advice: talk to at least two people who went through a previous acquisition at that company. Ask how decisions are made, how much autonomy you'd have, and whether the integration was smooth. Luna: You mentioned the six-month window. What about the window before the deal? Should you be proactive? Lucas: Definitely. If you suspect your company might be acquired — because of activist investors, or because the board has hired an advisor — start your job search early. Even if it doesn't happen, you've done the prep. But if it does, you'll be ahead of the wave. Luna: And if you're on the acquirer side, how do you position yourself for a role in the new structure? Lucas: Volunteer for integration task forces. That's where you build relationships with the incoming team and demonstrate your value. I know a VP of operations at a manufacturing firm who did exactly that. When the CEO needed someone to lead the combined supply chain, he was the obvious choice. Luna: So the M&A cycle isn't just for bankers and lawyers. It's a career timing tool. Lucas: Absolutely. And we haven't even touched on the other side — when M&A slows down. That can also create opportunities, because companies focus on organic growth and may need new leaders to drive it. Luna: Right. So whichever phase we're in, there's a play. The key is to read the signals. Lucas: Before we wrap, I want to mention something. We keep this show ad-free intentionally — it's a choice we made because we think the advice here is more valuable without interruptions. If you've found this episode useful, and you'd like to support that choice, you can find us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a simple way to help us keep the focus on content, not commercials. Luna: Yeah, it's a small gesture that goes a long way. We appreciate everyone who's chipped in. Lucas: Okay, back to the M&A cycle. One last practical tip: set up Google Alerts for your target companies with keywords like 'acquisition,' 'merger,' 'integration.' When those alerts hit, you can act quickly. Speed matters in this game. Luna: And if you're not actively looking, just knowing the cycle helps you make sense of why your LinkedIn inbox suddenly lights up. Lucas: Exactly. So next time you see a big deal in your industry, think about what it means for your career. It might be the signal you've been waiting for.