Integration-Led Diligence: Cisco's M&A Approach with Johanna Jaakola & Tesia Hostetle

In this episode of the M&A Science podcast, host Kison Patel interviews Johanna Jaakola and Tesia Hostetler from Cisco's corporate development integration team about how Cisco operationalizes integration-led diligence. The discussion covers getting integration involved early in the deal thesis, using a preliminary integration strategy to target diligence, and adopting different integration models (integrate, don't integrate, or reverse integrate) to accelerate value, with examples from the Splunk acquisition. They discuss the importance of aligning integration strategy with the overall deal thesis and Cisco's broader strategic goals, as well as the evolution of Cisco's integration approach over the past decade, emphasizing the shift towards a more proactive and value-driven model. The conversation also explores the challenges of cultural integration and the importance of early planning and decision-making in M&A.