On February 6th, WOM&AN organized a breakfast meeting titled “New Year, New Me: How to be Effective in M&A. This great event facilitated numerous engaging conversations aimed at empowering women in the field of mergers and acquisitions. 

The meeting commenced with a panel discussion featuring three distinguished speakers representing different realms: business, academia, and career development : Monika Nachyła, Partner at Abris Capital, responsible for investor relations, communication, and ESG initiatives; Joanna Targońska-Wąsowska, Deputy Director for Recruitment and Employee Development at the University of Warsaw; and Dobrosława Choryńska-Chudy, Career Office Manager at Collegium Civitas/Career Advisor, moderated by a Career Advisor Agata Wasowska, representing the company Di Luccia & Partners. All the ladies were engaged in discussions revolving around various topics such as European directives concerning pay equality, salary transparency, and the 30% representation goal for women in executive boards. The conversation delved into aspects of diversity, transparency, pay gap, and women’s presence in corporate leadership.

Following the panel, workshops were conducted with the objective of collaboratively devising a decalogue of actionable, measurable, and operational strategies to support women in advancing their careers in M&A. Participants were divided into five groups focusing on different themes:

Group 1 – Internal positioning within the company.

Group 2 – External positioning.

Group 3 – Business prospecting and lead generation.

Group 4 – Effective networking for financial outcomes.

Group 5 – Support mechanisms desired by women in the M&A world.

The workshops exceeded our wildest expectations! They were embellished with networking sessions, conversations, and spirited debates, resulting in the creation of a decalogue for being effective in M&A. Below, we present the key principles:

1. Be courageous! Don’t sabotage yourself and balance confidence with humility: Strive to exude confidence while remaining open to feedback, learning opportunities, and collaboration with others.
2. Seek mentorship, mentor others and develop an intra-organizational network: Engage with mentors who can offer guidance and support, and pay it forward by mentoring others to foster a culture of knowledge sharing and growth.
3. Define your value proposition: Clearly articulate your unique skills, experiences, and contributions to stand out in the M&A arena and build your personal brand.
4. Choose your own unique and diversed environment: Recognize the value of diverse perspectives and find people who will motivate you, give you wings and bring you business.
5. Cultivate a strong professional network: Invest time in building and nurturing relationships with industry peers, mentors, and potential collaborators.
6. Utilize the client relationship: Build relationship based on expertise, quality work, and specialization to introduce clients to other potential interested parties.
7. Master the art of negotiation and seek opportunities everywhere: Hone your negotiation skills to effectively navigate complex deals and secure favorable outcomes for all parties involved.
8. Follow up after events: Remember to clearly present what benefits you can offer to the newly met person.
9. Stay informed and adapt, even during maternity leave: During your break read e- mails, meet people, keep abreast of market trends, regulatory changes, and emerging technologies to remain agile and adaptable in the M&A landscape.
10. Prioritize continuous learning: Commit to ongoing personal and professional development to stay ahead of the curve and build your profile / CV to always be ready to seize opportunities, as timing and good preparation are incredibly important in such processes.

By embracing these principles, we empower ourselves and each other to thrive in the dynamic and competitive world of M&A.

Overall, the breakfast meeting served as a catalyst for meaningful discussions, knowledge sharing, and actionable steps towards enhancing the representation and success of women in M&A. WOM&AN remains committed to promoting gender equality and supporting women in achieving their full potential in the field.

Let us continue to support and uplift one another as we navigate this exciting journey together.