Lawyers
Global M&A Practice Co-Head Krishna Veeraraghavan spoke with Bloomberg TV on June 25 in a wide-ranging interview focused on global M&A trends and outlook, the current M&A playbook, and AI’s impact on M&A.
Among other topics, Krishna says M&A is increasingly being driven by AI innovation. “Buyers in AI, digital infrastructure and other areas are moving from a wait-and-see approach to leaning in and doing deals,” says Krishna. “The mood has shifted – and that’s a positive.”
So-called “acqui-hire” transactions—deals primarily focused on acquiring the expertise of a company’s staff rather than its products or services—are becoming more prevalent. Particularly with AI, “a lot of the players or acquirors are recognizing that the real assets in these deals are the people, what they’re developing, and what they know,” he says. “From an antitrust perspective, [acqui-hire] transactions can be viewed differently, especially if you’re not acquiring control and the person you’re investing in retains control.”
Addressing the market outlook for M&A for the rest of the year, Krishna says he has observed a general sense of optimism in the market, but notes that interest rates, tariffs and geopolitical developments will all play a role in market activity.
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