What an M&A Director at PwC Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the M&A Industry
David, a Director at PwC, wouldn't have been dissuaded from pursuing M&A advisory, a "natural progression" for someone who seeks responsibility and leadership; however, he wishes he'd known how sell-side transactions can be especially "complex and a little more time consuming in the long run," particularly when client demand exceeds available resources. Despite these challenges, David finds the work "very rewarding," full of challenges, and enjoys working with great people.
Leadership, Workload Management, Mergers and Acquisitions, Transaction Complexity, Career Satisfaction
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
David Samuel
Director, M&A Advisory
PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory Services LLC
New York University
University of San Diego, MScGL and MBA
Film, Media Arts, Visual Arts
Consulting & Related Professional Services, Technology
Consulting
Veteran
Video Highlights
1. The role provides ample opportunities for increased responsibility and leadership.
2. Demand can sometimes exceed the available resources, leading to challenges in meeting client needs.
3. Sell-side transactions can be particularly complex and time-consuming.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before you entered the industry?
I don't think there was anything anyone could have said to discourage me about joining. Being in this role has always been a natural progression for me.
I always seek out more responsibility and leadership opportunities, and I have that. However, there are times when there are more clients than we have resources to meet.
I guess I would have liked to have known that some of these scenarios would come up. Specifically, sell-side transactions can be more complex and time-consuming.
But if someone told me that when I was graduating from business school, it wouldn't have changed my decision to go into this business. It's very rewarding, there are lots of challenges, and I work with great people.