WMD Showcases M&A Document Automation at Seminar

WMD, a specialized M&A advisory firm for SMEs with a database of one million companies, successfully concluded a seminar titled 'Innovation in Domestic and Global M&A Practices in the Era of Digital Transformation' on the 4th at the SKY31 Convention, 31st floor of Lotte World Tower.

According to WMD on the 16th, the seminar included guest presentations from Strike Co., Ltd., a Prime Market listed company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, which contributed to multifaceted discussions on domestic and international M&A trends.

Strike Co., Ltd. is one of Japan's leading M&A advisory firms, established in 1997.

The seminar consisted of three sessions. In the first session, WMD's CEO Greyson (CPA, Attorney-at-Law) unveiled and demonstrated their M&A document automation system, 'Teaser Pro,' for the first time.

Teaser Pro is a system that automatically generates key documents such as teasers and Information Memorandums (IM) in the early stages of M&A transactions. Previously, documents had to be manually created based on a company’s basic information, financial statements, and industry trends, but Teaser Pro automates this process, significantly enhancing efficiency and reducing the time needed for document preparation.

In particular, the system ensures reliability through a double-check system where an initial draft is automatically generated based on precision data analyzed by professional consultants, then reviewed and refined by experts.

On this day, CEO Greyson pointed out causes for low transaction success rates in the small and medium M&A market, such as ▲information asymmetry on the sell-side ▲lack of reliable financial data ▲limited buyer access ▲traditional platforms functioning merely as listing boards.

WMD's CEO Greyson explained, “Traditional labor-intensive M&A practices lead to inefficiencies across the market due to low returns compared with the professional manpower invested,” and added, “Teaser Pro enhances productivity in M&A processes by automating document preparation, allowing sellers and practitioners to focus on core strategies.”

He further stated, “As Korean, English, and Japanese versions are all supported, it will generate significant synergy in collaborations with foreign companies.”

During the second session, Shizumi En and Yuma Yoshimizu from Strike Co., Ltd. participated as presenters, sharing insights into the structure of the Japanese M&A market and industry-specific trends. Strike, Japan’s third-largest advisory firm, successfully executes approximately 250 M&A deals annually across diverse sectors.

The presenters disclosed that the number of M&A transactions in Japan in 2024 was 1,221, an increase of 153 from the previous year, with active trading in the service sector (363 transactions), manufacturing (256 transactions), and IT (218 transactions) (based on public disclosures by listed companies).

They also introduced industry-specific trends, such as increased corporate acquisitions in the IT sector in response to securing generative AI technology and IT talent shortages, active M&A in retail for digital transformation (DX) and core competency enhancement, and logistics focusing on efficiency and cost management as key issues.

In the third session, WMD's Deputy CEO John presented M&A cases of domestic small and medium-sized enterprises, categorized into 'Strategic Investor (SI) Target,' 'Financial Investor (FI) Target,' and 'Business Succession Type' M&A. He provided practical insights by comparing and analyzing main acquisition purposes, transaction structures, and negotiation points for each type, enabling participants to design strategies tailored to their circumstances.

Deputy CEO John, a former professional at Kim & Chang and holder of 37 credentials including CPA, Attorney-at-Law, and Licensed Appraiser, said, “Because the logic and strategy of each deal type differ, this seminar offered practical guidance in forming strategies suited to individual company conditions.” 

Meanwhile, CEO Greyson is an engineer-turned accountant and lawyer who graduated from Sungkyunkwan University with a major in Electronic Engineering/Business Administration and attended the university’s law school. He is regarded as a practical M&A expert encompassing technology, finance, and law.

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