Dealmaker § My Deal - Chris Ruggeri

SIGN-UP | LOGIN | MY ACCOUNT

Keywords:
Players
Women in M&A

Article
My Deal - Chris Ruggeri

By: Joan Warner
May/June 2007 , Page 83

My “a-ha!” moment about dealmaking came when I was an undergraduate in the ’80s. The notion of helping companies grow through acquisitions was exciting. It doesn’t just involve strategy and finance — I’ve worked in about 20 countries on various deals, and increasingly, there are political and social elements as well.

When I started in this business, it was common for me to be the only woman in a meeting. It’s fascinating how that has changed. Just the other day, four of the six top people sitting at the table were women, including the head of M&A at a major financial-services company.

But there’s no doubt that being female has sometimes presented challenges — when doing deals in emerging markets, for instance. You have to prove yourself, make yourself relevant. If you just recognize that that’s the way it is, you can still be effective. You might have to be a little more creative, but you can get there. If you’re not ambitious, you’re never going to make it in this business. When you’re working on a transaction, it’s very difficult to manage any other responsibilities you might have. No matter how hard you try to find a perfect work/life balance, it’s tough.

You have to have a strong personality. People try to intimidate you, and there’s still a distinct macho culture. Women can certainly be as strong, but they behave differently — they tend to be a little less bombastic. When I think about female clients I work with, they’re very pragmatic and even-tempered. If they encounter an obstacle that a man wouldn’t face, they just put their shoulder down and keep forging ahead.

Chris Ruggeri is principal for valuation services at Deloitte Financial Advisory Services in New York.