POR QUE M&As DÃO TÃO ERRADO NO BRASIL?

Summary

Roberto Valverde discusses why M&A deals frequently destroy value in Brazil, citing reliance on consultant validations, unrealistic projections, and short-term incentives. He also highlights the rise of business hubs outside Rio-São Paulo, such as João Pessoa, and shares how his direct communication style filters for genuinely good businesses.

• Valverde argues that blunt truth-telling on social media actually attracts serious business owners and repels bad deals.
• He describes a personal mandate filter: only working with low-debt, audited companies that truly want to sell, avoiding hidden liabilities.
• The key M&A mistake is when acquirers validate deals with wrong assumptions, expensive consultants, and short-term incentives instead of real due diligence.
• Pitch decks by junior staff promise smooth integration and synergies that rarely materialize, while dealmakers face no long-term accountability.
• Valverde notes João Pessoa in Paraíba as a booming city with strong real estate and technology companies, calling it the 'mini Switzerland of the Northeast'.
• The conversation contrasts the concentrated Rio-São Paulo axis with emerging business ecosystems across Brazil.