Master Your Merger Podcast

Klint Kendrick
  • 5.0 (2)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Master Your Merger is the podcast where deal strategy and people strategy meet.Hosted by Klint Kendrick, this show explores how HR, corporate development, and private equity leaders unlock value by putting culture, leadership, and talent first.Through candid conversations and real-world case studies, you'll learn what truly drives M&A success — from the inside out.

  1. Building a Dedicated HR M&A Function at Uber | Anna Wilson (Senior HR Leader, Uber)

    4D AGO

    Building a Dedicated HR M&A Function at Uber | Anna Wilson (Senior HR Leader, Uber)

    Many companies treat M&A as an occasional event. For companies that acquire frequently, it quickly becomes a capability. In this episode of the Master Your Merger Podcast, Klint Kendrick speaks with Anna Wilson, a senior HR leader at Uber who focuses on mergers and acquisitions and leads the HR business partner team for the delivery organization. Anna shares how her experience leading the Postmates integration helped spark the creation of a dedicated HR M&A function at Uber. She explains how the company moved away from “HR on the side of the desk” and toward a purpose-built model designed to support repeat acquisitions and complex integrations. The conversation explores how HR teams can partner more effectively with corporate development, technology, and business leaders while balancing strategy, operations, and the realities of integrating real people into a fast-moving organization. What you will learn in this episode• How the Postmates acquisition led Uber to build a dedicated HR M&A capability • Why HR M&A teams often need to think like a CHRO across the full people lifecycle • How Uber structured a “two in a box” model pairing HR M&A leaders with integration program managers • Why HR sometimes moves ahead of the business strategy and how to avoid that trap • How integration decisions can disrupt marketplace dynamics if timing is wrong • Why serial acquirers benefit from dedicated M&A expertise instead of ad hoc HR support • How Uber balances business HR partners with dedicated M&A specialists • Why simplifying processes is essential in complex integrations • How breaking down functional silos improves integration outcomes • Why HR leaders must understand the business model behind the deal before designing a people strategy Connect with the guestAnna Wilson https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjushawilson/ Search: Anna Wilson, Uber #MasterYourMerger #PeopleFirstMNA #PostMergerIntegration #HRLeadership #MergersAndAcquisitions #Uber

    30 min
  2. Bet on the Jockey: Leadership Assessment That Drives PE Value Creation | Dr. Marc Prine

    FEB 27

    Bet on the Jockey: Leadership Assessment That Drives PE Value Creation | Dr. Marc Prine

    Most deal teams can model the financials. Far fewer can explain—early and credibly—whether the leadership team can actually deliver the value creation plan. In this episode of the Master Your Merger Podcast, Klint Kendrick sits down with Dr. Marc Prine of MIP Consulting, an industrial-organizational psychologist known for talent and leadership assessment work in the private equity space. Marc shares how investors and portfolio companies can connect leadership assessment to real value creation outcomes—before and after close. They unpack what strong PE-backed leadership looks like, the most common red flags that derail growth, why “culture fit” should be treated as measurable behavior, and how assessment should evolve into action plans, performance management, and 360 feedback—not stop at diligence. What you will learn in this episodeThe baseline leadership capabilities Marc looks for in PE-backed environmentsWhy assessment should be built from the value creation plan, not a generic modelCommon red flags: inability to delegate, founder-stage skills mismatch, and resistanceGreen flags: self-awareness, humility, resilience, and building high-performing teamsHow to balance speed vs depth in short PE diligence timelinesWhy leadership assessment must extend into the first 100 days and beyondHow to evaluate the leadership team as a system—not just the CEOTurning “culture fit” into measurable behavioral competenciesPractical ways to assess the “next clicks down” below the C-suiteRetention realities after announcement: “headhunters are sharks and announcement is blood in the water”Resources mentionedAdam Coffey, The Private Equity Playbook (recommended by Marc)Connect with the guestDr. Marc Prine (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcprine/ Email: marc@mipconsultingllc.comWebsite: mipconsultingllc.com#MasterYourMerger #PeopleFirstMNA #PrivateEquity #LeadershipAssessment #ValueCreation #PostMergerIntegration

    39 min
  3. Measuring What Matters: Turning Workforce Data into Value Creation in M&A | Tom Bradbury

    FEB 20

    Measuring What Matters: Turning Workforce Data into Value Creation in M&A | Tom Bradbury

    Most integration teams can explain synergies, savings, and EBITDA targets on paper. Far fewer can quantify what is actually happening on the people side of the business after close. In this episode of the Master Your Merger Podcast, Klint Kendrick sits down with Tom Bradbury, Founder and CEO of Broad-Gauge, to explore how workforce data can move beyond reporting and become a true driver of integration success and long-term value creation. Tom shares how private equity firms and operating leaders can use decision-ready workforce metrics to uncover hidden risk, reduce attrition, and manage integration debt before it shows up in performance or valuation. Drawing on real client examples, he explains how culture, leadership, engagement, and operational effectiveness can be measured in ways business leaders actually trust and act on. What you will learn in this episodeWhy people are often the largest and least understood investment in a PE portfolioThe difference between reporting workforce data and managing value with itHow attrition, leadership, and operational effectiveness act as early warning signalsHow to quantify culture by focusing on behaviors, not just valuesWhy ENPS is most powerful when paired with segmentation and actionHow workforce measurement helps surface and manage integration debt earlyWhat HR leaders can do today using existing HRIS data to increase credibility with executivesConnect with the guestTom Bradbury LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomaspbradbury/Email: tom@broad-gauge.io#MasterYourMerger #PeopleFirstMNA #PostMergerIntegration #WorkforceAnalytics #PrivateEquity #HRM&A #IntegrationDebt

    38 min
  4. Change Cheat Code: How Leaders Guide People Through M&A and Disruption | MYM S2 Ep 6

    FEB 13

    Change Cheat Code: How Leaders Guide People Through M&A and Disruption | MYM S2 Ep 6

    Most leaders know change is hard.Very few know why people resist, when to communicate, or how to move teams forward without burning trust. In this episode of the Master Your Merger Podcast, Klint Kendrick is joined by Liz Lance and Suzanne Rudnitzki, co-authors of The Change Cheat Code. Together, they unpack a simple, practical framework for leading people through change: Hear, Fear, Near, and Cheer. This model helps leaders understand what employees actually need at each stage of disruption, whether that change comes from M&A, restructuring, AI adoption, or life itself. Rather than treating change as a rational checklist, Liz and Suzanne show why change is emotional, repeatable, and manageable when leaders meet people where they are. What you will learn in this episode Why people stop listening during announcements and what leaders should say insteadHow the Hear stage requires repetition, clarity, and restraintWhy fear is unavoidable and how to use it productively instead of suppressing itHow Near becomes the moment where learning and adoption finally workWhy training too early actually slows changeHow celebration creates closure, trust, and momentum for what comes nextThe most common leadership mistakes that deepen resistance during M&AHow this framework applies to AI, organizational redesign, and personal changeConnect with the guestsLiz Lance LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlizlance/Suzanne Rudnitzki LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-rudnitzki/Book website: https://thechangecheatcode.com

    42 min
  5. Simulation in Post-Merger Integration | Alex Amsden + Tom Gaunt

    JAN 27

    Simulation in Post-Merger Integration | Alex Amsden + Tom Gaunt

    In post-merger integration, most teams can run the checklist. The hard part is getting people aligned, working together, and executing the strategy fast enough to capture value. In this episode of the Master Your Merger Podcast, Klint Kendrick talks with Alex Amsden and Tom Gaunt from BTS about how simulations can accelerate integration, reduce misalignment, and turn culture from an abstract idea into practical ways of working. Alex Amsden is Vice President and Head of Growth, Strategy and Culture Transformation for BTS USA. Tom Gaunt is Vice President and Head of Change and Transformation for BTS Europe. Together, they share how BTS uses simulations to help leaders practice the future before they have to live it. What you will learn in this episode Why starting with the human conversation can unlock faster strategy decisionsThree principles that speed integration: practical vision, authorship creates ownership, and culture linked to strategyCommon pitfalls that slow transformation, including assuming buy-in and treating culture as an afterthoughtWhat simulations are and how they differ from training, comms, and traditional workshopsWhen simulations work best, including executive alignment, newco launch, and critical team integrationHow simulations surface hidden assumptions and legacy misalignment from past acquisitionsHow AI and digital twins may change simulation design and speedConnect with the guests Alex Amsden LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-amsden-35732b23Tom Gaunt LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tom-gaunt-12570819Taryn Davino email: taryn.davino@bts.comTom email: tom.gaunt@bts.com #MasterYourMerger #PeopleFirstMNA #PostMergerIntegration #Culture #ChangeManagement #StrategyExecution

    42 min
  6. Payroll Is a Trust Moment in M&A | Melissa Madi on Diligence, Pay Cutovers, and Employee Trust

    JAN 23

    Payroll Is a Trust Moment in M&A | Melissa Madi on Diligence, Pay Cutovers, and Employee Trust

    In M&A, few mistakes damage trust faster than payroll problems. In this episode of the Master Your Merger Podcast, Klint Kendrick talks with Melissa Madi, a seasoned HR and payroll leader who has supported hundreds of transactions over the past decade. Melissa spent more than eight years at AssuredPartners, most recently as Director of Employee M&A, and now serves as Director of Payroll and Benefits at Kustom US. Melissa shares what employees actually need during a transaction, why payroll diligence is often overlooked, and how leaders can show up with calm, clarity, and grace during some of the most stressful moments in a deal. What you will learn in this episode Why communication must be clear, honest, and repeatedHow payroll diligence prevents downstream chaosWhat to plan for when pay cycles and benefits changeWhy backup plans matter more than perfect executionHow to show up with grace when employees are overwhelmedConnect with Melissa Madi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-madi-cpp-shrm-cp-b72807128/

    36 min
  7. Roll-Up Integration Is a Human Sport | Eiron Roffey | MYM S2 Ep 3

    JAN 16

    Roll-Up Integration Is a Human Sport | Eiron Roffey | MYM S2 Ep 3

    Roll-ups do not fail because the spreadsheet is wrong. They fail when seller psychology, team readiness, and platform gaps turn integration into a slow bleed. In this episode of the Master Your Merger Podcast, Klint Kendrick talks with Eiron Roffey, an M&A integration leader based in Canada who has led the integration of more than 80 founder-led businesses across healthcare, technology, and professional services. Eiron shares the founder personas he sees most often, how to build trust without losing integration momentum, and why delaying integration without purpose creates integration debt. What you will learn in this episode: The founder personas Eiron sees most often and what each one needs to trust the buyerHow to lead with empathy while still keeping integration movingWhy fear of the unknown drives resistance more than the change itselfHow to earn trust in stages without breaking the founder’s legacyWhat deal teams should stop saying, and what they should say insteadHow platform readiness, unclear end states, and repeated delays create integration debtWhy ripping off the band-aid once can be easier than dragging change out repeatedlyHow integration leaders can help Corp Dev teams focus on the people behind the value🎧 Subscribe and listen now. #MasterYourMerger #PeopleFirstMNA #Integration #RollUp #MNA #ChangeManagement

    35 min
  8. Leading Global HR in M&A From Diligence to Integration | Naveen Nagpal | Master Your Merger S2 Ep 2

    JAN 9

    Leading Global HR in M&A From Diligence to Integration | Naveen Nagpal | Master Your Merger S2 Ep 2

    What happens when HR is asked to integrate a global acquisition without complete data? In this episode of the Master Your Merger Podcast, Klint Kendrick speaks with Naveen Nagpal, a global HR M&A strategist with more than 25 years of experience supporting cross-border transactions. Naveen shares lessons from more than 40 global deals and walks through a real example where missing benefits data almost led to a multi-million-dollar mistake. He explains why HR instincts, escalation, and persistence matter, especially when data is incomplete and pressure to move fast is high. Listeners will learn how HR leaders can: Get involved early in diligence to surface people riskChallenge assumptions when data is missing or unclearManage country-by-country integration complexityIdentify culture risk before it shows up as attrition or disengagementTrack the people metrics that signal whether integration is working🎧 Subscribe and listen now.#MasterYourMerger #PeopleFirstMNA #GlobalMNA #IntegrationLeadership #HRMNA

    32 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
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About

Master Your Merger is the podcast where deal strategy and people strategy meet.Hosted by Klint Kendrick, this show explores how HR, corporate development, and private equity leaders unlock value by putting culture, leadership, and talent first.Through candid conversations and real-world case studies, you'll learn what truly drives M&A success — from the inside out.

Information

  • Creator
    Klint Kendrick
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Klint Kendrick
  • Show Website
    Master Your Merger Podcast
  • Provider
    Mergers & Acquisitions Roundtable LLC