Mergers & Acquisitions: CEO Leadership and Board Dynamics
Lead M&A Like Warren Buffett | Why Deals Fail & How to Make Yours Succeed
“Most acquisitions destroy value. This course explains why — and shows you how to lead one that doesn’t.”
Why this course
Roughly 70% of acquisitions destroy value. Every CEO knows the statistic. Almost none understand why, because the conventional explanations — strategic mismatch, culture clash, integration failure — do not go nearly far enough. This course goes further.
We move beyond the surface to examine the Institutional Imperative that makes bad deals inevitable, the CEO incentive structures that make the problem worse, the inappropriate yardsticks of success that hide failure, the behavioural economics that drive bad decisions, and the role of investment bankers in pushing deals that should not happen. Then we work through the Berkshire Hathaway System — how Warren Buffett actually evaluates an acquisition — and the better measures of success you should use instead.
Built for the CEO, the board director, the senior adviser, and the finance professional who wants to understand acquisitions at a level the average dealmaker never reaches.
What you will master
Every outcome below is built into the course — not a marketing list, the actual curriculum.
Who this course is for
- Business owners and CEOs considering making an acquisition
- Investment bankers and advisers who guide clients on M&A
- Finance professionals seeking to move into investment banking and finance careers
- Investors and fund managers who need to understand the destructive impact of poor acquisition deals
Requirements
- No pre-requisites or experience levels required for this course
What students are saying
Verified reviews from students who completed the course on Udemy.
“John Colley is clearly an exceptionally intelligent and experienced finance professional. He breaks down information into layman’s terms so we mortals can understand seemingly complex theories and ideas. Thoroughly recommend it.”
“The course provides a clear and well-structured introduction to the M&A process. It covers valuation, deal strategy, and due diligence in an accessible way — strong value for professionals seeking a high-level understanding of M&A fundamentals.”
“As a lawyer, this course opened my eyes to a broader, critical view on M&A deals. I applaud Professor Colley for his excellent lectures and insightful thoughts.”
John Colley
Investment banker turned educator. 30+ years across Hoare Govett, M&A, private equity and corporate finance. Cambridge graduate, Bayes Business School MBA with Distinction.
Author of the Investment Banking Practitioner’s Handbook Series — the largest practitioner-authored IB content library available online. Trusted by 150,000+ students across 30+ Udemy courses.
Every course is built on real deal experience — not textbook theory. The voice is a senior banker explaining how things actually work, not a lecturer reading notes.
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