DD – Interviews

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
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  • #107773
    Daniel Stocks
    Participant

    How important are internal interviews with staff of a potential target company and how much reliance & trust is put on their answers.

    #111713

    I believe the interviews uncover hidden potential risks which are not included in the books. However, there are ways to verify the information provided during the interviews.

    #113115
    Tim Schinke
    Participant

    My thought is that they can be effective in validating information provided by others and in determining who key employees are and retention requirements.

    #114672
    Jessica Lee
    Participant

    Internal interviews with the staff of a potential target company are critical. They provide insights into the company’s culture, operational challenges, and employee satisfaction, often not reflected in financial statements. However, it’s essential to approach these interviews with a balanced perspective. While staff members can offer valuable firsthand information, their responses may be influenced by personal biases or concerns about the acquisition. Cross-referencing their feedback with other due diligence findings and third-party assessments ensures a comprehensive understanding of the target company. How have you found the balance between relying on internal interviews and other due diligence methods?

    #119400
    Timon Chiong
    Participant

    In my experience, interviews and presentation sessions with senior management and key personnel of a target are helpful to gain insights that may not be readily discernible from “hard” data presented in due diligence materials, for example, business strategy, trustworthiness and organisation culture. I would also use such sessions as an opportunity to assess the quality of these personnel. However, targets are typically reluctant to allow a potential buyer access to employees generally, because of the impact to day-to-day work / operations and because doing so risks unsettling the workforce.

    #119993
    Ed
    Participant

    In my experience, access to key personnel for interviews happens so late in the process (for discretion and business continuity reasons) that they do not materially impact the path that the deal is on. If anything, it may impact the continued employment or role of that individual.
    Thanks
    Ed

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
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