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<ul><li><keyword id="2808667" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="OYO">OYO</keyword> announced the appointment of <keyword id="8358499" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="betsy-atkins">Betsy Atkins</keyword> on its board as an independent director. </li><li>Atkins as the CEO of <keyword id="8358498" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="baja-corporation">Baja corporation</keyword> which invested in companies like <keyword id="6363100" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="yahoo">Yahoo</keyword> and <keyword id="6357395" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="eBay">eBay</keyword>. </li><li>Her expertise lies in scaling companies leading them to successful IPO and acquisitions. </li></ul>OYO announced the appointment of Betsy Atkins as independent director into its board. Atkins is the CEO of Baja corporation, where she has built three early stage funds, and invested in companies like Yahoo and eBay. Interestingly, Atkins’ expertise lies in scaling companies and leading them to successful IPOs and acquisitions. Her entry could all but confirm the many rumours that OYO might soon be heading for an IPO. “She is an expert at scaling companies through the hyper-growth stage and leading them to successful access to the public markets and acquisitions, which makes her a great addition to OYO, as the company moves towards its next phase of growth,” said Oyo in a press release. Having established itself in the Indian and Chinese markets, OYO is now investing heavily in the US market. Atkins joins Oyo’s board which has eminent people like Mark Schwartz, Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs and Chairman of Goldman Sachs Asia Pacific; Munish Varma of SoftBank Vision Fund; Bejul Somaia ofLightspeed India Partners Advisors; and Mohit Bhatnagar of Sequoia Capital India Advisor on the board of OYO. ‘’OYO, with its unique asset-light business model and strong data capabilities, is creating something entirely new for the more than 3 billion middle-income travellers and city dwellers who need accommodations that meet their standards and also their budgets,” Atkins said.

Yahoo and eBay investor Betsy Atkins joining OYO’s board is a sign of the company’s IPO plans

<ul><li><keyword id="305600" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Troy-Alstead">Troy Alstead</keyword>, former Starbucks chief operating officer, will be an independent member on <keyword id="2808667" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="OYO">OYO</keyword>’s board and will be a supervisor and guide to founder <keyword id="1670338" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ritesh-Agarwal">Ritesh Agarwal</keyword>. </li><li>On OYO’s board, Alstead joins Betsy Atkhins, CEO &amp; Founder of Baja Corporation and an early investor in Yahoo, Gerry Lopez, operating partner at SoftBank Vision Fund and others. </li><li>The appointment comes at a time when OYO’s business is severely hit because of the coronavirus pandemic.</li></ul>Indian hospitality unicorn OYO has another addition to its board of advisors – Troy Alstead, former Starbucks chief operating officer. Alstead, who will be an independent member on OYO’s board will be a supervisor and guide to the founder Ritesh Agarwal. “Troy brings tremendous operating and governance experience that will help us continue delivering on our mission to help millions of middle-income people around the world gain access to quality accommodations at different price points,” said Agarwal on the appointment. Alstead, who was second in command at Starbucks and was in charge of the day-to-day operations of the coffee giant. He worked at Starbucks for 24 years until he parted ways in 2015. He will now look at OYO’s sustainable growth, operational and service excellence. Currently, Alstead is also the founder, president, and CEO of Ocean5, a unique new place for playing, meeting, and dining, and Table 47, a farm-to-table, fresh from the scratch restaurant. He also sits on the board of the legendary motorcycle maker Harley Davidson. On OYO’s board, Alstead joins Betsy Atkhins, CEO and founder of Baja Corporation and an early investor in Yahoo; Gerry Lopez, operating partner at SoftBank Vision Fund; Bejul Somaia, of Lightspeed Venture Partners; and Mohit Bhatnagar of Sequoia Capital, among others. “OYO, with its unique asset-light business model and strong data capabilities, is creating something entirely new for more than 3 billion middle-income travellers and city dwellers who need accommodations that meet their standards and also their budgets,” said Alstead. The appointment comes at a time when OYO is severely hit because of the coronavirus pandemic. OYO, which after months of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/oyo-reportedly-invokes-act-of-god-clause-to-suspend-payments-to-hotel-owners-says-report/articleshow/74959653.cms">troubles</a>, had revised its focus on profitability, has another challenge awaiting this year. With the coronavirus lockdown across the world, the travel and tourism industry is one of the worst affected sectors. OYO, whose revenue is down by 50-60% because of the pandemic, had recently announced ‘<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/exclusive-oyo-sends-employees-in-india-on-leave-without-pay-for-4-months-and-announces-pay-cuts-for-all/articleshow/75287536.cms">voluntary leave with limited benefit</a>s’ for many of its employees along with a 25% pay cut for employees. Agarwal has forgone his salary for a year, while the top management too has voluntarily taken salary cuts. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/ritesh-agarwal-to-take-a-100-pay-cut-oyo-sets-up-a-welfare-fund-for-coronavirus-hit-hotel-partners/articleshow/74950054.cms">Ritesh Agarwal to take a 100% pay cut, OYO sets up a welfare fund for Corona-hit hotel partners</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/exclusive-oyo-sends-employees-in-india-on-leave-without-pay-for-4-months-and-announces-pay-cuts-for-all/articleshow/75287536.cms">EXCLUSIVE: OYO sends employees in India on leave without pay for 4 months and announces pay cuts for many</a>

EXCLUSIVE: OYO brings on board former Starbucks COO Troy Alstead

<ul><li><keyword id="2808667" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="OYO">OYO</keyword> has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from Martin HP Söderström, the chairman of DIG Investments. </li><li>The Ritesh Agarwal-led OYO raised ₹54 crore or $7.4 million from Hindustan Media Ventures in a Series F round of funding. </li><li>With this investment, Söderström will also join the board of OYO Europe. </li></ul>Indian hospitality unicorn OYO has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from Martin HP Söderström, the chairman of DIG Investments. Söderström’s wife Charlotte is also the heir of the fashion brand H&amp;M. Earlier this week, the Ritesh Agarwal-led OYO raised <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/oyo-bags-a-7-4-million-cheque-as-pandemic-forces-ritesh-agarwal-to-reimagine-the-business/articleshow/80170847.cms">₹54 crore or $7.4 million</a> from Hindustan Media Ventures in a Series F round of funding. OYO has been<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/advertising/brands/news/indians-are-travelling-again-oyo-saw-a-72-surge-in-bookings-for-destinations-like-jaipur-goa-and-kochi-during-the-long-weekend/articleshow/78494877.cms"> pinning its hopes</a> on the staycation and ‘drive-to’ destination trend to get back on track. In fact, OYO has been betting on its holiday homes vertical in Europe, and recently Agarwal had mentioned that having already pumped 350 to 400 million Euros in the area, they are looking <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/oyo-to-make-further-investments-in-europe-ritesh-agarwal-120121001113_1.html">to invest more</a>. OYO claims that with the recent conclusion of the acquisition of TUI Ferienhaus business from e-domizil GmbH, it is now the second-largest globally in the vacation homes space by the number of homes. With this investment, Söderström will also join the board of OYO Europe. OYO BOARD MEMBERS <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Troy Alstead </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Former COO, Starbucks </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Gerardo Issac (Gerry) Lopez </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Operating partner at SoftBank Vision Fund </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Betsy Atkins </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">CEO &amp; founder of Baja Corporation </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Munish Varma </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">SoftBank Investment Advisers </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Bejul Somaia </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Managing director, Lightspeed Venture Partners </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Mohit Bhatnagar </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Managing director, Sequoia Capital </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Aditya Ghosh </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;"> Former CEO - OYO India &amp; South Asia Former President Indigo Airlines </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Dr W. Steve Albrecht </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Former president of the American Accounting Association </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Martin Söderström </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Chairman of DIG Investment </td></tr></tbody></table> “Martin will work closely with the management team of OYO to drive continued and sustainable growth in the company. He will provide guidance on potential M&amp;A opportunities, and would also assist the organization in building deep strategic partnerships with other leading, EU-based companies and lay out its brand positioning strategy as a thought leader in the vacation rental space,” said the company in its statement. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/radhakishan-damani-dmart-ready-takes-cautious-steps-against-jiomart-and-amazon/articleshow/80209971.cms">Pitted against JioMart, Amazon and others, Radhakishan Damani’s DMart has opted for “controlled acceleration” in e-commerce</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/with-whatsapp-popularity-hit-zoho-plans-to-launch-arattai-messaging-app/articleshow/80206802.cms">Zoho plans to woo WhatsApp defectors with its own messaging app Arattai</a>

OYO cashes in another cheque from Swedish billionaire Martin HP Söderström for its vacation homes business in Europe

<ul><li>OYO has brought on board Dr W. Steve Albrecht, an industry veteran for audit and corporate governance. </li><li>The appointments to OYO’s board are another indicator of a possible IPO soon for the hotel chain.</li><li>Albrecht also sits on the board of the US-based SkyWest Airlines, Larry H. Miller Group of Companies, and Deseret Mutual Benefit Association.</li></ul>Indian hospitality unicorn OYO has announced the 8th addition to its board of directors. The company has brought on board Dr W. Steve Albrecht, an industry veteran for audit and corporate governance. Albrecht is the former president of the American Accounting Association. Albrecht, also sits on the board of the US-based SkyWest Airlines, Larry H. Miller Group of Companies, and Deseret Mutual Benefit Association and was previously also on the board of the now IBM acquired Red Hat. The industry veteran has also consulted and audited major financial institutions including the United Nations, FBI. “Steve is an expert and a thought leader who will help us deliver on sustainable growth, operational and service excellence, and help us continue building a strong culture of corporate governance and accountability. As COVID-19 continues to impact the business and forces businesses to rethink its strategies, our board has also come together and has been constantly guiding us on business continuity and recovery measures,” said OYO founder <keyword id="1670338" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ritesh-Agarwal">Ritesh Agarwal</keyword> on the appointment. <keyword id="8358615" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Oyo-Board">OYO BOARD</keyword> MEMBERS <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Troy Alstead </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Former COO, Starbucks </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Gerardo Issac (Gerry) Lopez </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Operating partner at SoftBank Vision Fund </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Betsy Atkins </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">CEO &amp; founder of Baja Corporation </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Munish Varma </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">SoftBank Investment Advisers </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Bejul Somaia </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Managing director, Lightspeed Venture Partners </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Mohit Bhatnagar </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Managing director, Sequoia Capital </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Aditya Ghosh </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;"> Former CEO - OYO India &amp; South Asia Former President Indigo Airlines </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Dr W. Steve Albrecht </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Former president of the American Accounting Association </td></tr></tbody></table> The appointments to OYO’s board and its renewed focus on profitability and corporate governance are another indicator of a possible IPO soon for the hotel chain. However, OYO has immediate important business matters at hand. The hotel chain which was growing at a breakneck speed until December 2019, has hit the brakes with a series of consumer and hotelier complaints followed by a layoff of thousands of employees across the globe in January 2020. It then was impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and saw a sharp drop in fortunes after the COVID-19 outbreak. While OYO’s China and Japan divisions have seen growth in the past few weeks, its India business has just reopened on June 8. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/owner-of-oberoi-and-trident-defers-results-triggering-a-sell-off-in-indian-hotel-stocks/articleshow/76281330.cms">The owner of Oberoi and Trident defers results triggering a sell-off in India's hotel stocks</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/parle-g-clocked-record-sales-in-may-it-may-be-because-broke-and-starving-migrant-labourers-could-barely-afford-anything-else/articleshow/76280162.cms">Parle G clocked record sales in May⁠— it may be because broke and starving migrant labourers could barely afford anything else</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/anand-mahindras-sanjivani-solution-for-cos-think-like-a-startup-and-do-a-marie-kondo-style-clean-up-of-portfolio/articleshow/76275190.cms">Anand Mahindra’s Sanjivani solution for cos – think like a startup and do a Marie Kondo style clean up of portfolio</a>

OYO is beefing up its board of directors – the second board appointment this year is a former FBI consultant

New Delhi, Dec 2 () Hospitality firm OYO on Monday said it has elevated Aditya Ghosh, currently chief executive officer (India &amp; South Asia) for the hotels and homes business, as a member of its board of directors.
 Rohit Kapoor, currently CEO of the new real estate businesses of the company, has been appointed as CEO (India &amp; South Asia) for OYO Hotels &amp; Homes, it added.
 Ghosh will join OYO Hotels &amp; Homes founder &amp; Group CEO Ritesh Agarwal, Baja Corporation founder &amp; CEO Betsy Atkins and other industry experts like Munish Varma, Bejul Somaia and Mohit Bhatnagar, among others, on the company's board, OYO Hotels &amp; Homes said in a statement.
 In his role on the board, Ghosh will focus on five key areas namely, safety and security, customer experience, corporate governance, revenue management and stakeholder communications, the statement said.
 "Ghosh's strong business acumen, problem-solving capabilities, passion for building an organisation with strong corporate governance and a high-performing work culture that thrives on principles of diversity and inclusion, make him the perfect choice for this larger and more strategic role, at a global level," OYO Hotels &amp; Homes founder &amp; Group CEO Ritesh Agarwal said.
 The decision will help OYO achieve its goals globally, he added.
 On the appointment, Ghosh said, "I am thankful to the board for inviting me into the august group to further build OYO as a global brand to reckon with, by not just growing fast, but growing right."
 Ghosh and Kapoor will "work closely through the coming month to enable a smooth and seamless transition", the statement said.
 Rohit's remit will now also span the operations of over 18,000 hotels across over 500 cities in India and South Asia, it added. AKT HRS

OYO elevates India & South Asia CEO Aditya Ghosh to board of directors

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image">REUTERS/Carlos BarriaPeople wait in line to cross the border between Mexico and the US in Tijuana, Mexico, May 6, 2006.</div></div></div><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cjng-and-sinaloa-cartel-violence-in-tijuana-2016-2" target="_blank">Numerous reports</a> over the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jalisco-cartel-fighting-for-control-of-tijuana-2016-3" target="_blank">last few months</a> have indicated that the Sinaloa cartel and the Jalisco New Generation cartel have started to clash in Tijuana, a city in northern Baja California, just over the border from San Diego.Now a report from Mexican newspaper <a href="http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/articulo/periodismo-de-investigacion/2016/05/31/irrumpe-guerra-de-carteles-en-la-paz" target="_blank">El Universal</a>, based on insight from experts and government officials, indicates that the clash may have spread throughout the peninsula.Violence in Baja California Sur, a state considered to be solidly controlled by "El Chapo" Guzmán's Sinaloa cartel, has likely been caused by clashes between Guzmán's cartel and the fast-growing Jalisco New Generation Cartel.According to government statistics, there were <a href="http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/articulo/periodismo-de-investigacion/2016/05/31/irrumpe-guerra-de-carteles-en-la-paz" target="_blank">232 homicides</a> in Baja California Sur between February 2014 and February 2016 - nearly double the 129 homicides recorded between 2011 and 2013.According to <a href="http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/articulo/periodismo-de-investigacion/2016/05/31/irrumpe-guerra-de-carteles-en-la-paz" target="_blank">sources</a> El Universal spoke with, this spike in killing is linked to the drug trade, and has been driven in recent months by Guzmán's capture and the perception of vulnerability it has created."A war broke out between cartels without the state, municipal, and federal governments being able to do anything about it," Víctor Martínez de Escobar, a businessman and former local representative for the conservative National Action Party, <a href="http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/articulo/periodismo-de-investigacion/2016/05/31/irrumpe-guerra-de-carteles-en-la-paz" target="_blank">told</a> El Universal.With Guzmán's extradition, "there will come a very strong reshuffling and the entry of small cartels," he added.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image">US DEA 2015 NDTABaja California and Baja California Sur have been considered Sinaloa cartel territory.</div></div></div>The Jalisco cartel, one of Mexico's fastest-growing and most violent cartels, "is wanting to enter La Paz, Ensenada, and Tijuana," a police official told El Universal, referring to three cities in Baja California and Baja California Sur."All this derives from after they arrested El Chapo. [Nemesio Oseguera] El Mencho is returning to attack the plazas," the source continued, referencing both the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mexico-most-powerful-drug-lord-el-mencho-chapo-ioan-grillo-2016-1" target="_blank">Jalisco cartel's well-known leader</a> and drug-trafficking territories known as plazas.According to El Universal, as Baja California Sur developed into a tourist area between 2002 and 2013, Guzmán had relative freedom of movement in the area. The Sinaloa kingpin was able to use a Cessna - likely part of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/el-chapo-guzman-mexico-drug-trafficking-airplanes-2016-5" target="_blank">a fleet of aircraft</a> - to travel throughout the state, <a href="http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/articulo/periodismo-de-investigacion/2016/05/31/irrumpe-guerra-de-carteles-en-la-paz" target="_blank">reportedly</a> with the aid of civil aeronautics, police, and military personnel.Violence in the state worsened after Guzmán's 2014 arrest. And with his recapture in January this year (after his 2015 jailbreak) Baja California Sur turned into "a battlefield," Martínez de Escobar <a href="http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/articulo/periodismo-de-investigacion/2016/05/31/irrumpe-guerra-de-carteles-en-la-paz" target="_blank">told El Universal</a>."Drugs, arms, and hit men arrived in ferries from the coasts of Sinaloa" state, he said.<h2>Shifting alliances</h2>A spike in violence in Baja California Sur related to cartel competition would mirror a reported trend in Tijuana, where it's believed that the Jalisco cartel and local allies have made efforts to move in on Sinaloa cartel territory, with a number of deaths as a result.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">REUTERS/Jorge DuenesA policeman carries a child away during a gun battle in Tijuana, in Mexico's state of Baja California, January 17, 2008. A shootout, after police agents moved in on a drug -cartel group, left four people injured and forced the emergency evacuation of a school in Tijuana, according to the local media.</div></div></div>The arrest of a suspected Jalisco cartel member with about <a href="http://www.afntijuana.info/seguridad/56426_decomisan_51_kilos_de_cocaina_a_miembro_del_cjng#ver_nota" target="_blank">112 pounds of cocaine</a> in Tijuana in May adds weight to rumors about that cartel's expansion into the northwest corner of the country.The dynamics of this possible cartel clash are complicated by the nature of organizations involved.Sinaloa and Jalisco are believed to have <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/el-chapo-guzman-sinaloa-jalisco-cartel" target="_blank">cooperated to some extent</a> in the past. Their clash in Baja California and Baja California Sur, however, may be part of a larger shift toward an antagonistic relationship, evidenced by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sinaloa-and-cjng-cartels-fighting-in-colima-mexico-2016-5" target="_blank">conflicts in Colima</a>, a state on Mexico's southwest coast, and in Acapulco, a tourist haven <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/acapulco-growing-violence-as-cartels-battle-2016-6" target="_blank">riven by violence</a>.Moreover, Sinaloa's opaque structure makes it harder to parse how it operates on the ground.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">AP Photo/Enric MartiIn this May 9, 2016, photo, forensic workers remove the body of a man shot four times in an empty lot between residences in the Leyes de Reforma neighborhood of Acapulco, Mexico. Joaquin Badillo, who runs Acapulcoís, a leading private security firm, estimated that 95% of the killings in the city are linked directly or indirectly to criminal gangs.</div></div></div>"El Chapo" Guzmán is the most visible Sinaloa leader, but the organization is believed to be structured horizontally rather than vertically, with several allied factions cooperating and sharing trafficking routes, government contacts, and information."It's kind of like a corporation that has hundreds of subsidiaries, and the subsidiaries are semiautonomous from the Sinaloa cartel even though they deal with the cartel," Mike Vigil, a former chief of <keyword id="6356001" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="international">international</keyword> operations for the US Drug Enforcement Agency, told Business Insider earlier this year. "So when Chapo Guzman goes to jail, these subsidiaries continue to function."But those allied factions don't seem to be immune to conflict. As Vice <a href="https://news.vice.com/article/a-turf-war-in-a-previously-dreamy-coastal-city-points-to-splits-in-chapos-sinaloa-cartel" target="_blank">reported late last year</a>, factions of the Sinaloa cartel - one led by "El Mayo" Zambada, Guzmán's equal in the cartel - were believed to be fighting in La Paz and throughout Baja California Sur.A heavily factionalized cartel fight - Sinaloa against Jalisco and Sinaloa against itself - would not only be hard to track and examine. Shifting alliances between powerful-but-fragmented groups make it even harder for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/impunity-and-crime-rates-in-mexico" target="_blank">already weak law-enforcement agencies and judicial bodies</a> to end the bloodshed. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-drug-cartels-commit-violence-545-pm-narconomics-tom-wainright-2016-3">There's a terrifying reason why people are warned to stay inside at 5:45 p.m. in parts of Mexico</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="kwd3Q3MjE6YwPEBxl0qvyYTwU1cXeoB9" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

A war between Mexico's most powerful cartels may be spreading

(AP Photo/Rashide Frias)A Mexican marine looks at the body of a gunman as it lies next to a vehicle after a gun fight in Culiacan, Mexico, February 7, 2017.Deadly violence declined slightly between March and April this year in Mexico, but the first four months of the year marked a grisly milestone.The first one-third of 2017 saw 8,705 homicide victims throughout Mexico, 32% more than in the same period last year and 49.8% more than were recorded between January and April 2015.The increase in homicides registered over the first four months of this year continue the reversal of the declines seen during the first two years of President Enrique Peña Nieto's term, which began in December 2012.The 7,727 homicide cases during the first four months of the year exceed even that of the same period in 2011, when narco violence in the country <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/militarized-police-violence-in-latin-america" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">was at full throat</a> under then-President Felipe Calderon. (Mexico has released data on homicide cases, which can include more than one victim, since 1997. Data on victims has only been released since 2014.)According to Mexican news site Animal Politico, each of the five security zones established in 2013 as part of Peña Nieto's national security plan <a href="http://www.animalpolitico.com/2017/05/los-homicidios-suben-en-las-5-regiones-del-plan-de-seguridad-de-epn-y-llegan-a-nuevo-record/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">has seen increases</a> in homicides ranging from 10% to 60%.REUTERS/Jose Luis GonzalezA forensic investigator at a crime scene where three men were killed by unknown assailants in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, May 18, 2017.Government data through April indicate that the country "not only is at record levels of violence at least since there is a record (1997)," Arturo Angel <a href="http://www.animalpolitico.com/2017/05/los-homicidios-suben-en-las-5-regiones-del-plan-de-seguridad-de-epn-y-llegan-a-nuevo-record/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">writes</a>, "but that moreover the increase of homicide cases is generalized in Mexico," in contrast to <a href="http://www.animalpolitico.com/2017/05/los-homicidios-suben-en-las-5-regiones-del-plan-de-seguridad-de-epn-y-llegan-a-nuevo-record/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">previous statements</a> by government officials that the rising violence was localized in specific areas.The northwest region, which includes Baja California, Chihuahua, and Sinaloa states, saw the most dramatic increase, with the number of homicide cases <a href="http://www.animalpolitico.com/2017/05/los-homicidios-suben-en-las-5-regiones-del-plan-de-seguridad-de-epn-y-llegan-a-nuevo-record/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">rising 60.2%</a> between the first four months of 2016 and the same period this year.The southeast, home to Veracruz and Quintana Roo (the latter of which has the resort cities of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mexico-club-shooting-crime-in-cancun-playa-del-carmen-2017-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Playa del Carmen and Cancun</a>) was second, seeing <a href="http://www.animalpolitico.com/2017/05/los-homicidios-suben-en-las-5-regiones-del-plan-de-seguridad-de-epn-y-llegan-a-nuevo-record/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a 54% rise</a> in homicide cases over that period.Christopher Woody/Mexican government data<a href="http://www.animalpolitico.com/2017/05/los-homicidios-suben-en-las-5-regiones-del-plan-de-seguridad-de-epn-y-llegan-a-nuevo-record/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Eleven states</a> - one-third of the country - have seen homicide increases of more than 50% between January through April last year and the same period this year.In Chihuahua, home to Ciudad Juarez, homicides were up 63% during the first four months of this year in comparison to the same period last year.In Baja California, home to Tijuana, killings rose 72%.In Sinaloa state, traditional redoubt of the Sinaloa cartel, homicides were up 61% over that period.The tiny state of Colima, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mexico-sinaloa-jalisco-cartel-fighting-violence-in-colima-2017-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">strategically located</a> on Mexico's West Coast, has retained the highest homicide rate, 24.74 per 100,000 people.Nearby Guerrero, also <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mexico-drug-cartel-violence-in-guerrero-2016-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">valuable for drug traffickers</a>, is second at 20.5 per 100,000 and had the second most homicides in the country through April.The national rate so far this year is 6.3 homicides per 100,000 people.<h2>'No criminal competition'</h2>A number of factors are likely at play in Mexico's increasing violence.The country's economy has struggled to provide opportunities for young people, and venal and ineffective law enforcement has been ill-equipped to prevent and punish crime. Though drug trafficking is not Mexican criminal groups' sole pursuit, demand in the US continues to make smuggling a lucrative enterprise.While only about <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/iiss-study-mexico-second-deadliest-conflict-zone-not-true-2017-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">one-third to a half</a> of Mexico's homicides (which are <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mexican-states-manipulating-crime-data-2016-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">likely underreported</a>) show signs of being related to organized crime, turmoil in the country's criminal underworld appears to be a significant factor in the bloodshed. Much of that killing appears to be related to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mexico-el-chapo-guzman-sinaloa-cartel-arrests-pressure-2017-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">internal strife within the Sinaloa cartel</a> and the growing assertiveness of the Jalisco New Generation cartel, or CJNG.Christopher Woody/Mexican government data"The largest increases [in homicides] were registered in Colima with a 600% increase from 2015 to 2016, Nayarit (500% increase), and Zacatecas (405% increase), all of which have an important role in drug production or trafficking and are contested by rival organized crime groups," David Shirk, a professor at the University of San Diego and the director of the school's <a href="https://justiceinmexico.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Justice in Mexico program</a>, told Business Insider earlier this year."These are all very worrying," he added, "and coincide with locations where the CJNG has reportedly been attempting to forge a complex web of alliances with a new cohort of young traffickers and organized crime figures."The CJNG is a relatively new group.It <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-carnage-and-corruption-upstart-mexican-cartels-path-to-top-2016-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">emerged after the</a><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-carnage-and-corruption-upstart-mexican-cartels-path-to-top-2016-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> June 2010</a> death Sinaloa cartel lieutenant Ignacio Coronel (the uncle of "El Chapo" Guzman's current wife), which caused a split in his Jalisco-based organization.The CJNG, one of the factions that formed thereafter, ultimately won control over Coronel's territory.When Peña Nieto took office, the CJNG was believed to be operating <a href="http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2017/05/11/mexico/1494538484_438735.html?id_externo_rsoc=TW_CM" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">on behalf</a> of the Sinaloa cartel in four states.Since then, the CJNG - never shying away from violence - broke from the Sinaloa cartel, capitalizing on <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-carnage-and-corruption-upstart-mexican-cartels-path-to-top-2016-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">corruption</a> within and <a href="http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2017/05/11/mexico/1494538484_438735.html?id_externo_rsoc=TW_CM" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">lack of attention</a> from security forces, as well as the disintegration of major criminal rivals, to <a href="http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2017/05/11/mexico/1494538484_438735.html?id_externo_rsoc=TW_CM" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">spread</a> to 12 states and <a href="http://www.sinembargo.mx/13-09-2016/3091337" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">expand</a> its trafficking to Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Africa.The group has also forged new partnerships to expand its reach.<a class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/585d7c4bf10a9a98468b4ccf-960/politicaldivisionsofmexico-ensvg.png"></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mapa_De_Mexico_2009.png">Jaimiko/Wikimedia Commons</a>"For example, in 2016, CJNG allegedly partnered with Jesus Alfredo 'El Mochomito' Beltrán Guzmán to conduct the kidnapping of Joaquín Guzmán's 29 year old son, Jesus Alfredo Guzmán Salazar, and five other men" in Puerto Vallarta, Shirk said. "CJNG allegedly also developed ties to remnants of the Arellano Felix organization in an effort to assert itself against the Sinaloa Cartel in Baja California. Likewise, the CJNG has reportedly aligned itself to a group known as Cártel de Los Cuinis to make inroads in the state of Chihuahua," he added.Violence has been <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/rising-violence-in-ciudad-juarez-reminder-of-cartel-fighting-2016-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">rising throughout Chihuahua</a> in recent months, and CJNG is also believed to be making a play for control of Ciudad Juarez, a major border crossing. A <a href="http://www.elblogdelnarco.com/2017/05/confirman-fusi%C3%B3n-y-avance-de-cartel-de-jalisco-y-la-l%C3%ADnea.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">recent report</a> indicates the cartel has allied with La Linea, the armed wing of the Juarez cartel. Both are thought to be <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jalisco-cjng-sinaloa-cartel-violence-in-ciudad-juarez-mexico-2017-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">competing with the Sinaloa cartel</a> for control of the city."CJNG is also apparently combating elements of the Sinaloa cartel in Colima, which has been experiencing levels of violence not seen even in the heyday of the Milenio cartel" in the 1990s and early 2000s, Shirk said.REUTERS/Alejandro AcostaPolice near the covered body of a person who died after a bus was set on fire in Guadalajara, March 9, 2012. Gunmen torched vehicles and blockaded roads in the city during a military operation to arrest two leaders of the Jalisco New Generation cartel.To its dominion can be added Guanajuato, a state strategically located in the center of the country, north of the capital. Information <a href="http://archivo.unionguanajuato.mx/articulo/2016/10/10/seguridad/cjng-el-cartel-que-manda-en-guanajuato" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">released</a> by the federal government late last year indicated that the CJNG was the only cartel present in that state.The speed with which the CJNG has spread <a href="http://www.sinembargo.mx/13-09-2016/3091337" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">leads some to believe</a> it has done so with official complicity. Audio emerged last year <a href="http://www.animalpolitico.com/2016/09/audio-revela-control-del-cartel-jalisco-operativos-la-policia-estatal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">appearing to show</a> CJNG leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, "El Mencho," giving orders to a state police officer. The government's security strategy, deploying military elements to violent parts of the country, Michoacan and Guerrero in particular, may also have facilitated corruption by putting soldiers and commanders in close proximity to criminal elements.DEA/Eames Yates/Business InsiderWhile the CJNG is competiting for areas traditionally dedicated to opium and marijuana cultivation, its territorial base and depth of expertise - much of it culled from former partners in the Sinaloa cartel - give it the potential to become what former Drug Enforcement Administration chief of international operations Mike Vigil called a "<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-carnage-and-corruption-upstart-mexican-cartels-path-to-top-2016-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">crystal meth 'superpower.'</a>"The CJNG's expansion into the southwest and eastern parts of Mexico has been aided by the breakdown of the Knights Templar and Los Zetas cartels, which were brought down by government pressure and internal strife.Now, with internal fissures ever more apparent in the powerful Sinaloa cartel, the path looks open for the CJNG to strengthen its hold on parts of northwest Mexico - prized territory for traffickers - it has been contesting.The Jalisco cartel "grows without obstacles, taking over territorial spaces that have been dismantled and [where] it doesn't encounter rivals," Benitez Manaut, an academic and security expert at Mexico's National Autonomous University, <a href="http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2017/05/11/mexico/1494538484_438735.html?id_externo_rsoc=TW_CM" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">told El Pais</a> this month. "It has no criminal competition."<h3>More from Christopher Woody:</h3><ul><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/violence-in-mexico-and-spread-of-jalisco-new-generation-cartel-cjng-2017-5" rel="nofollow">Deadly violence continues to climb in Mexico, where an ascendant cartel is strengthening its grip on power</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/efforts-to-change-the-us-militarys-arsenal-get-boost-in-congress-2017-5" rel="nofollow">The Army and Marine Corps want big changes for their infantry arsenals - and Congress seems to be on board</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/farc-rebels-trying-to-join-linkedin-post-conflict-violence-in-colombia-2017-5" rel="nofollow">Members of Colombia's biggest rebel group are trying to join LinkedIn, but they're struggling to connect</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/colombia-cocaine-coca-crop-substitution-criminal-interference-2017-5" rel="nofollow">Colombia says it's convincing drug farmers to grow other crops - but drug traffickers say otherwise</a></li><li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/james-mattis-addresses-us-military-casualties-2017-5" rel="nofollow">Mattis on recent US military deaths: 'They're not part of a life-insurance corporation'</a></li></ul> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mexico-drug-lord-sinaloa-cartel-joaquin-el-chapo-guzman-extradited-united-states-2017-1">Here's footage of 'El Chapo' arriving to the US</a></h3> Please enable Javascript to watch this video

Deadly violence continues to climb in Mexico, where an ascendant cartel is strengthening its grip on power

A key role of the board is overseeing M&amp;A. Technology M&amp;A is having another record year and not showing any signs of slowing down. This year alone there have been 46 deals that were over $1 billion in value. While we've seen boom years in Technology M&amp;A before, something is different this time around.The potential buyer universe has changed - the market has seen the rise of the new buyer-types:<ul><li>Foreign acquirors, especially China</li><li>Cross-industry buyers</li><li>Financial sponsors</li><li>Institutional Investors becoming Active Shareholders</li></ul>To put this phenomenon in perspective, 73% of U.S. based tech companies were sold to buyers who were either foreign, outside of the information technology industry or a financial sponsor, a huge shift in the breadth of the buyer universe since 2014.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Betsy Atkins" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/581a4bc8362ca4892e8b6577-960/screen shot 2016-11-02 at 4.21.12 pm.png"></a>Betsy Atkins</div></div></div>Importantly, of the 27% of transactions where the buyer was ultimately a U.S. based technology company, a significant percentage had participation from foreign, non-technology or financial sponsor buyers in the process who bid but didn't win. There is no doubt that the participation of these "nontraditional" buyers enhances the competitive tension of the process. So why does this shift dramatically impact your Boards? We all know board directors are subject to the duties of care. The issues a director will face during certain sale or merger transactions are subject to additional so-called Revlon duties to ensure that reasonable efforts are made to secure the highest price available. The carrying out of these duties is subject to intense scrutiny. It is a virtual certainty that an M&amp;A transaction of a publicly-listed company in the U.S. will ultimately lead to litigation focused on how the board conducted the process. So how do directors ensure they are getting the highest price available?One of the most important things the board does when considering the sale of a company is selecting a financial advisor. Choosing a qualified, experienced financial advisor with relevant transaction capabilities who has knowledge of all the potential buyers will be one of the most important decisions you make.Five years ago when the majority of deals were "tech to tech", "domestic to domestic", "strategic to strategic", there were probably 6-8 great full-scale/full-reach advisors along with 8-10 great boutiques to consider for selling your company. Today, unless you are certain that your company doesn't appeal to the cross-industry or international or financial sponsor buyer, your smart choices are going to be fewer if you want to reach that broad buyer group and get the highest price consistent with your fiduciary duty.So let's examine the trends that have impacted the M&amp;A market in recent years and how this expanding universe of buyers in technology has shifted the board's advisory selection from boutique advisors to full scale advisors with complete buyer reach access to maximize shareholder value.<h2>Foreign Buyers</h2>In the past decade, inbound M&amp;A activity of foreign companies buying U.S. companies has dramatically increased and is now a fifth of U.S. Tech buyers. Geographies such as China have increased their outbound M&amp;A transaction volume. In the first 6 months of 2016 alone, there have been$28 billion China announced outbound M&amp;A transactions (see chart below), including Ingram Micro's $6 billion sale to HNA Group's Tianjin Tianhai, which was the largest outbound acquisition by a Chinese company in the technology sector so far. <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Betsy Atkins" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/581a4bf4362ca4372e8b6617-960/screen shot 2016-11-02 at 4.21.19 pm.png"></a>Betsy Atkins</div></div></div>Additionally, tax inversions where targeted U.S. companies are re-domiciled abroad have been increasingly common transaction structures attracting foreign buyers. Applied Materials' $9 billion merger with Tokyo-Electron (which was later terminated due to anti-trust concerns) was motivated in part by both companies' desire to lower corporate income taxes on future earnings through an inversion structure. The implication for the board of these transactions is clear: an effective financial advisor must have a global network with knowledge and access to potential buyers who will emerge from other geographies. That gives you a number of great choices but they need to be from among the global firms that have bankers around the globe with access to and knowledge of these interested foreign buyers.<h2>Cross-Industry Buyers</h2> Increasingly buyers outside of your company's industry have emerged as competitive acquirors. In 2015 alone, there were $28.4 billion cross-industry technology acquisitions, vs. $10.8 billion in 2012. This is an amazing 263% increase in cross-industry buyer activity. Often it depends on your company's specific cross-industry appeal. A common theme has been cash-rich, mature buyers seeking new growth platforms to build on. Information technology provides lots of examples of nontraditional companies acquiring companies in technology such as Monsanto's purchase of The Climate Corporation, Verizon's purchase of AOL and more recently Yahoo, and Walmart's acquisition of Jet. For these acquisitions to succeed, the financial advisor needs the ability to advise the board to include these cross-industry buyers in the sale process. Importantly, they need the relationships and knowledge to cultivate these new buyers who fall outside of tech. With 15 or so industries to cover, this leads us back to the larger firms that have access to the top buyers across industries, not just tech. <h2>Financial Sponsor Buyers</h2>Financial sponsors, or private equity firms, have become increasingly active.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Betsy Atkins" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/581a4c07362ca41c258b66a6-960/screen shot 2016-11-02 at 4.21.31 pm.png"></a>Betsy Atkins</div></div></div>To properly gauge the interest of financial sponsors and to advise the board if and when you should invite financial sponsors into a sale process, your financial advisor needs to have close relationships with the relevant financial sponsors. Most importantly, have the knowledge to assess their financial capacity to compete against strategic buyers and know the maximum amounts they can aggressively pay. A key component of credibility for Directors in determining the sponsors' wherewithal comes from the financial advisor's leverage lending expertise (both in the bank and bond markets) which are relied on to fund sponsor M&amp;A transactions. Without real-time knowledge of the leveraged finance markets, your financial advisory will not be able to credibly determine the cost of financing that the sponsor relies on, and as a consequence, will not have the insights necessary to determine what price a financial sponsor could ultimately be able to pay. Several months ago, you would think ok, financial sponsors wouldn't pay 6.5x revenues and 69% premium for Cvent or 5.9x revenues and a 64% premium for Marketo which Vista Equity Partners did earlier this year. Most recently Infoblox was sold to a private equity firm at the highest premium ever paid by a financial sponsor for a technology company (73%).Having in depth knowledge of this market and the sponsor's financial capacity and desire is a critical component of the advice that financial advisors need to provide. We saw in the financial crisis of 2008 many of these financial sponsor-backed bids fell through, the consequences of misreading this market (guessing based upon prior deals instead of being in the leveraged finance market trading securities every day and knowing what is possible) can be devastating. <h2>Activist Shareholders</h2>Although not typically a buyer of companies, activist shareholders are another player now impacting M&amp;A transactions. Activist investing is not only the domain of a core group of hedge funds anymore, even institutional investors are becoming increasingly engaged. Of the campaigns announced in the last 12 months alone, ~86 separate investors have targeted more than 160 companies. Of these campaigns, 69 have led to activist additions to the board of directors, 21 have led to proxy fights and 10 have resulted in sales of the target company. Many examples exist in technology of activists having direct involvement in situations which ultimately end in a sale of the company including my board, Polycom's, recently announced merger with Mitel which later evolved into a sale of Polycom to Siris Capital. Having a financial advisor who has an experienced activism defense team is important in preparing the board early in building and articulating the company's long-term plan for value creation and helping the management and board understand their strategic landscape and M&amp;A scenarios. More M&amp;A activity over the next year is likely due to continuing improvements in economic conditions, significant cash reserves and investor pressure for increasing shareholder returns. M&amp;A remains top of mind for directors. The factors that go into deciding the selection of your financial advisor should be carefully considered. Only an advisor with strong capabilities across all of the new emerging trends will enable you and your board to maximize value for your shareholders. Betsy Atkins is CEO of Baja Corp, an early stage venture capital firm she founded in 1993 and has served on some 25 public company boards. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-unveils-solar-roof-solarcity-video-2016-10">Elon Musk just unveiled something that could revolutionize how you power your home </a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="ZtcHQzNzE6rJiNVeNBtErYRi4yljUmMb" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

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