This first half of 2020 has been unique in many ways. It has brought many valuable learning experiences that truly broadened my personal and professional perspective. On the professional side, our firm started this year strong. We closed transactions for leading U.S. companies (AZZ and Oxbow), worked for high-caliber private equity firms and came close to finalizing transformational deals between leading multinationals and esteemed private clients.
As the coronavirus pandemic unfolded, global M&A activity came to a halt and many of our mandates paused. Empathy is the value that comes to mind as I reflect on the impact that coronavirus had on our practice. We understand that for our clients saving their business and retaining their talent is far more important than doing mergers and acquisitions, and so we shifted our energy to reaching out to clients and asking how we can help. Whether lending a hand to clients who had to let go key finance executives to helping raise much needed capital, we were humbled by the many interactions we had with our clients during these difficult times.
The stock market dislocation made it incredibly challenging to keep a balanced perspective, especially when one is being bombarded with information (and misinformation) through many channels. Therefore, our firm thought it would be helpful to pause and reflect on this too. Earlier this year we published an article on crises and charted out the S&P performance for several decades and realized that -while this pandemic is not to be taken lightly- ‘this too shall pass’. Benefiting from newfound perspective, the focus of our firm remained on retaining our talented employees and providing valuable advice to our clients. It pushed us to be closer to clients at a time where it was easier to focus on panicking.
We have also participated in more panels and done more interviews with media outlets. Last week, my colleague Brett Carmel and I were interviewed by The Business Year, and had the chance to debate about our views of the economic outlook in Mexico and the expectations for its M&A market. Make sure to keep an eye out for it, which I will share with you once it’s published.
On the personal front, I first think of gratitude. Thankful for technology that allows me to serve my clients over Zoom and for the extra time found (by not traveling) to spend with my wife and son. I have had the chance to meet the significant others of the people I have interacted over Zoom, and similarly, many of you have met my wife and/or toddler over videocall or have heard my dog bark while engaging in serious conversation. It’s always nice to meet the human side of our executive selves.
Last but not least, it does not escape me for a second to think about privilege. I too have been moved by the many recent tragedies and makes me think that while I complain about Zoom fatigue, there are many fighting for justice and human rights. We have to do as much as we can — and more — to fight racism and discrimination in any way we can.
Many events and learning opportunities have been a blessing, and while this first half of the year may feel tumultuous and never-ending, it may help to think that it actually only represents 5% of this new decade. I am humbled for everything I learned and excited for what the rest of the year has in store. I stand ready to help my clients navigate their M&A strategies and challenges. If you want to discuss growth strategies or other opportunities, feel free to reach out through LinkedIn.