The Deal Leader
September 2026 | Volume 64
From Building Value to
Getting the Deal Done
Business decisions made today can shape future value and buyer appeal. This edition concludes Deal Leaders International’s deal-making series with the Conclusion Phase and previews Creamer Media’s five-part series IN FOCUS: Built to Last, produced in partnership with DLI. Five conversations exploring how to build stronger, more valuable South African industrial businesses.
What does it take to build a South African industrial business that can compete, grow and create lasting value?
Across five conversations, leading executives, investors and M&A specialists will explore some of the decisions shaping the future of South Africa’s industrial businesses, and what those decisions can mean for growth, value and ultimately an exit.
Episode 1: Growing And Competing Globally
Thomas Holtz from Multotec and Andrew Van Zyl from SRK Consulting discuss what it takes for a South African industrial business to compete successfully beyond our borders. This conversation explores how businesses can strengthen their competitive position at home while building the capabilities required to expand into international markets.
Episode 2: Why Ownership Matters
Siya Nhlumayo from Vuna Partners and Amina Pahad from RMB Ventures discuss how ownership decisions influence far more than who holds the shares. This episode explores how the right ownership structure can support growth, improve access to capital and help businesses pursue their long-term ambitions.
Episode 3: The Consolidation Advantage
Paola Ferrari from Epiroc and Mark Salmon from Differential Capital discuss how consolidation is reshaping mining and industrial services, creating opportunities for businesses with the right capabilities, scale and strategic positioning. This conversation examines what is driving that consolidation and what can make a business stand out as an attractive acquisition opportunity.
Episode 4: What Makes A Business Valuable?
Financial performance matters, but it is only part of the value equation. In this episode, Liz Kolobe from Agile Capital and Keith Webb from Rand Merchant Bank discuss how markets, capabilities, growth prospects and scalability influence the way investors assess an industrial business, and what owners can do to build and sustain value over time.
Episode 5: Selling A Business Successfully
A successful exit starts long before a buyer arrives at the table. In the final episode, Andrew and Rick from Deal Leaders International discuss the role of preparation, timing, and positioning when considering a sale, investment, or succession, and why decisions made before going to market can significantly influence the eventual outcome.
Register for the upcoming series and get notified as each episode is released.
Whether you are focused on growing your business today, considering future investment or thinking about an eventual exit, IN FOCUS: Built to Last offers practical perspectives on the decisions that can help create long-term value.
FEATURE ARTICLE
Conclusion Phase: Where Deals Are Won, Lost or Secured
Once a preferred buyer is selected and commercial terms are agreed, it can feel as though the hardest work is over. In reality, execution risk is now at its highest.
The final article in Deal Leaders International’s deal-making series explores how due diligence, disciplined information management and experienced deal leadership help protect value and move a transaction from agreement to successful completion.
The Complete Journey
Over the past few editions, we have unpacked the various phases that underpin Deal Leaders International’s approach to selling a business. Each phase builds on the one before. Because a successful transaction is rarely the result of one great negotiation at the end. It’s the result of a well-managed process from beginning to end.
If you missed the earlier articles, catch up here:
If selling your business is on your horizon and you’d like to understand the next steps, contact us for a confidential conversation. Call us on +27 (0) 11 084 0100, WhatsApp on +27 (0) 83 540 4998 or email connect@dealleadersint.com
Warm regards,
Rick, Andrew and the Deal Leaders International Team