This book will provide the answers to the questions that senior level executives have about what are M&As and the steps involved. It provides basic guidelines and lessons for going through an M&A for the first time. It explains what the key events, processes, and issues that a buyer or seller must consider during a merger or acquisition. By using this book, executives can avoid costs and sometimes fatal mistakes and maximize the financial and operational value of the deal to their companies. Chapters include: (1) Terms and Phrases: Language of the Deal, (2) Explanation of Legal Structures and Terms, (3) Strategic Transactions: Before the Deal Starts, (4) Mergers and Acquisitions: Doing the Deal, (5) Equity Investments: Doing the Deal, (6) Sellers, (7) Buyers, (8) Appendix: Checklists and Forms, Reports and Presentations, Generic Valuation Exercise

MICHAEL E. S. FRANKEL is a seasoned finance and business development executive with extensive experience in M&As, complex finance transactions, corporate strategy, and business development transactions. He has led more than 100 transactions and has worked on hundreds more. He served as vice president of business development at GE Consumer Finance– Americas. Previously, he was vice president of corporate development at VeriSign, Inc. While at VeriSign, he led a development team that was responsible for substantially increasing VeriSign's net income over a two-year period (closing over two dozen acquisitions and equity investments). Prior to joining VeriSign, Frankel was a vice president with Merrill Lynch's global industries investment banking group, where he advised transportation, logistics, and large industrial clients on M&As' complex equity and debt offerings, as well as initial public offerings. His clients included General Motors, Rollins Truck Leasing, Cendant, and UPS.