Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Suzanne Kumar
Inside Bain's 2026 Midyear M&A Outlook
Related Brief M&A Midyear Outlook 2026: A Winner's Paradox New challenge: Can companies pair an ambitious M&A agenda with AI’s disruption? Sign up for upcoming webinars with Bain experts, and watch previous recordings of conversations on topics that matter to your business.
M&A Midyear Outlook 2026: A Winner's Paradox
The great M&A rebound of 2025 was no flash in the pan. In the first five months of 2026, the global M&A market is up 41%, on track for the second-highest year ever (see Figure 1). The rebound remains broad-based across markets and sectors as well as grounded in strategic transformations required in a rapidly changing world (see Figure 2), although financial sponsor deal value declined 9% (see Private Equity Midyear Report 2026).
Global M&A momentum builds in 2026 as megadeals surge, but acquirers confront a new AI “winner’s paradox”—Bain & Company M&A Midyear Report
As bold deals reshape industries for a fast-changing world, leading companies must now pair complex integrations with the AI transformation that disruption demands June 29, 2026 min read Press release Global M&A momentum builds in 2026 as megadeals surge, but acquirers confront a new AI “winner’s paradox”—Bain & Company M&A Midyear Report Featured Experts
Takeaways from Bain's 2026 M&A Report
Sign up for upcoming webinars with Bain experts, and watch previous recordings of conversations on topics that matter to your business.
M&A Capability for a New Era: Five Ways AI Is Creating More Value in M&A Right Now
This article is part of Bain's 2026 M&A Report. Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming the lifeblood of M&A. Adoption of AI tools more than doubled in 2025, according to our recent survey of more than 300 M&A executives, with 45% of respondents now relying on the technology. And they’re now using it in tangible ways across more touchpoints in the M&A life cycle. Just a few years ago, AI was largely limited to sourcing, screening, and diligence.
Looking Ahead to 2026: Getting a Boost from the Great Rebound
This article is part of Bain's 2026 M&A Report. The year 2025 marked a near-record rebound in M&A, with global deal value rising 40%, to $4.9 trillion. Total M&A as a percentage of nominal GDP grew from 3.2% to 4.2% (see Figure 1). The rebound of 2025 was notably broad-based across industries and geographies, and it was fueled by a resurgence in megadeals valued at greater than $5 billion (see “Looking Back at M&A in 2025: Behind the Great Rebound”). The wave may not have crested.
M&A Report 2026: 10 Takeaways from Our M&A Executive Survey
We asked more than 300 practitioners across the globe about their deal-making efforts in today’s market. Here’s what they said.
Global M&A poised to sustain momentum in 2026 after great rebound, finds Bain & Company
Skip to Content January 27, 2026 min read Press release Global M&A poised to sustain momentum in 2026 after great rebound, finds Bain & Company Featured Experts
Looking Back at M&A in 2025: Behind the Great Rebound
In a year marked by artificial intelligence’s rampant advancement, shifting trade policies, and tepid global volume growth, companies across industries saw the urgent need to reboot strategy. And for many, that meant a return to M&A. The year 2025 is on track to become the second-highest in deal activity: up 36% in value, to an estimated $4.8 trillion, and 5% in volume (see Figure 1), with similar gains across strategic, private equity (PE), and venture capital (VC) acquirers.
Global M&A resilient to tariff shock as executives lean in with dealmaking to exploit disruptions-Bain & Company M&A Midyear Report
Skip to Content Leading companies will pursue multi-year M&A roadmaps to secure scale advantage, expanded capabilities and future-proof portfolios amid volatility June 27, 2025 min read Press release Global M&A resilient to tariff shock as executives lean in with dealmaking to exploit disruptions—Bain & Company M&A Midyear Report Featured Experts
M&A in a New Economic World Order
The tariffs announced on April 2, 2025, marked the end of the beginning for a new economic world order. The effect on dealmaking has been swift, with strategic M&A dropping by 39% in April. Now, as companies wrestle with the immediate and long-term impacts on strategy and the rising risk of recession, those that thrive will rapidly retool for a world in which the free movement of goods, capital, IP, and people cannot be taken for granted.
Takeaways from Bain’s 2025 M&A Report
Sign up for upcoming webinars with Bain experts, and watch previous recordings of conversations on topics that matter to your business.
M&A market poised for a comeback in 2025 as headwinds ease, finds Bain & Company
Technology disruption, post-globalization, and shifting profit pools will drive dealmaking in the year ahead as interest rates and regulatory challenges are likely to recede A Bain survey found one in three M&A practitioners will be using generative AI in dealmaking by the end of the year Bain predicts generative AI will enable every step of the M&A process in the next five years New York, NY – February 4, 2025 – After three years of underwhelming M&A activity, 2025 may finally be the year...
Executive Survey Highlights | Bain & Company
We asked over 300 practitioners across the globe about their dealmaking efforts in today’s market. Here’s what they said.
Looking Ahead to 2025: Preparing for What Comes Next
This article is part of Bain's 2025 M&A Report. After three years of underwhelming M&A activity, 2025 may finally be the year that the M&A market breaks through. During that slow time, the best companies persisted, learning how to navigate unfavorable market realities to deliver inorganic growth. For many, there wasn’t an option. Foundational shifts in technology, sector profit pools, and the broader global economy demanded a strategic response.
M&A Midyear Report 2024: Dealmakers Mine Multiple Sources of Value
The first half of 2024 brought with it a continuation of both higher interest rates and heavy regulatory scrutiny of deals, yet companies are finding ways to adapt to these conditions, showing signs of more sophisticated approaches to value creation through M&A. Deals maintained the steady pace in volume and value growth that began in the last half of last year. But look deeper into the 2024 data, and you find two main areas of activity.
How Companies Got So Good at M&A
Let’s hop into the time machine and dial in 2004. The deal of the year was the Sears/Kmart merger. Tech giants like Lucent and Juniper Networks were active, and lest we forget, Cingular bought AT&T Wireless, only to be acquired by the new AT&T two years later. Like so many others, these companies were all struggling to grow at a time when the empirical evidence clearly showed how difficult it was to grow a world-class business organically. Yes, they knew they were taking a big risk with M&A.
How the Big Backlog Will Shape the 2024 M&A Agenda : 4Hoteliers
Many of the assets that didn’t come to market in the down year of 2023 will fuel active dealmaking in 2024. Corporates will sell assets that do not fit with their strategy, and private equity will sell aging portfolio companies. We expect more scale deals for consolidation before seeing a return to scope-oriented capability investing to drive growth. As competition intensifies, conviction and speed will be necessary to win deals and make them succeed. This article is part of Bain's 2024 M&A Report.
Total M&A market dropped to $3.2 trillion in 2023, leaving a backlog of deals that will shape the 2024 M&A agenda
BOSTON — January 30, 2024—The total M&A market dropped 15%, to $3.2 trillion, the lowest level in a decade, as dealmakers grappling with high interest rates, regulatory scrutiny, and mixed macroeconomic signals had to be more selective about which deals to pursue in 2023. But the biggest obstacle was the gap between valuations. At 10.1 times, overall strategic deal multiples were the lowest in 15 years.
Looking Ahead: How the Big Backlog Will Shape the 2024 M&A Agenda
This article is part of Bain's 2024 M&A Report. History shows that downturns, market lulls, and times of disruption always produce newer, stronger competitors that used the mayhem to make market gains. The M&A downturn of 2023 will likely be no exception, but it is not too late to act. We expect to see more deals get done in 2024—if for no other reason than there are a lot of assets that should trade.
Regulation and M&A: How Scrutiny Raises the Bar for Acquirers
This article is part of Bain's 2024 M&A Report. In 2022 and 2023, at least $361 billion in announced deals were challenged by regulators around the globe. And among the $255 billion of those deals that ultimately closed, nearly all required remedies. Concerns raised by the European Commission and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) caused Microsoft to restructure its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
M&A Midyear Report 2023: It Takes Two to Make a Market – RamaOnHealthcare
M&A Midyear Report 2023: It Takes Two to Make a Market Bain & Company July 11, 2023 By David Harding, Dale Stafford, and Suzanne Kumar The strategic M&A market is in limbo as both buyers and sellers navigate this weird economy. Overall global M&A value is down 44% in the first five months of 2023. Macroeconomic and interest rate uncertainty continues to complicate dealmaking and foster caution among sellers and buyers alike.
IR Magazine Summer 2023
Suzanne Kumar spoke with IR Magazine about the value of M&A and its importance for business strategy today. “When we look at the value of doing M&A in an economic down cycle, we can see there’s a need for companies to pivot and stay on the offensive,” said Kumar.
Bain & Company’s Global M&A Report sees opportunity for bold moves in an uncertain 2023 market
Skip to Content Bain’s fifth annual Global M&A Report examines the ups and downs in 2022 and what to expect in 2023 January 31, 2023 min read Press release Bain & Company’s Global M&A Report sees opportunity for bold moves in an uncertain 2023 market BOSTON—January 31, 2023—Bain & Company’s 5th annual Global Mergers & Acquisitions Report, published today, reveals that corporate executives looking ahead to 2023 remain confident in M&A’s role in value creation.
M&A Midyear Report 2023: It Takes Two to Make a Market
We’re now 12 months into a lethargic mergers-and-acquisitions market, with deal values and volume well off postpandemic highs. Consider the mixed signals dealmakers face. Deal valuations have fallen dramatically, but hover above a typical downturn trough. Central banks continue to raise interest rates, yet an inverted bond market suggests a coming reversal. Layoffs have accelerated, but the hiring market remains resilient. Inflation has slowed, but persists.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Suzanne
Contact Suzanne, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack