5 key moves for telco C-suites to navigate complex M&A landscape
According to BCG, clear stakeholder communication and disciplined execution are critical.
Telecom companies must elevate mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to a CEO priority, continually scan the market for opportunities, and adopt innovative deal-making approaches to drive new growth pathways.
According to BCG’s report, clear stakeholder communication and disciplined execution are also critical, ensuring that each decision translates into measurable impact and delivers long-term value.
The complex and competitive telco M&A landscape demands bold leadership and decisive action from C-level executives. To navigate this dynamic environment, BCG highlighted several imperatives that companies must focus on.
Make M&A a CEO priority
Successful M&A requires dedicated attention and ownership at the highest level. CEOs must lead with a clear vision and drive alignment across the organisation to maximise value creation.
Adopt an “always on” M&A strategy
Keeping a real-time perspective on the market is essential. M&A teams should consistently scan for new opportunities and monitor competitors’ actions.
CEOs can drive this proactive mindset by regularly challenging their organisations with questions like "What are we not doing that we should be doing?" This approach fosters agility and ensures that the organisation is ready to seize the right opportunities as they arise.
Think beyond traditional boundaries
Companies should explore innovative deal archetypes in the M&A battlefields, such as adjacency expansions and infrastructure-centric deals, as well as strategic divestments.
Creative deal-making can unlock unique pathways for growth and transformation.
Define a clear value-creation strategy and a compelling storyline
Defining financial, operational, and strategic objectives early is key to maximising a deal’s impact. Demonstrating how each move drives growth, profitability, and long-term transformation is critical to earning buy-in.
Use integration as a platform for transformation
M&A should go beyond cost synergies, catalysing fundamental change across all units and functions of the merging organisations. The integration process presents an opportunity to rethink business models, accelerate digital transformation, and unlock new efficiencies. To maximise impact, execution must be both agile and disciplined.
