Beyond the deal: unlocking sustainable success in pharma M&A

An Expert View from Nick Petschek, EMEA managing director at global change management firm Kotter International.

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are set to dominate the pharmaceutical industry in 2025, bringing both challenges and opportunities for pharma businesses looking to grow. This expected wave of activity is driven by a confluence of factors—looming patent cliffs, the need to accelerate innovation, and an evolving regulatory landscape. While the appeal of scale, efficiencies, and market dominance drives many deals, the reality is that financial success often hinges on what happens after the ink dries.

For pharma companies, the stakes of post-M&A integration are uniquely high — not just because of the long timelines for assets to produce value, but because at times the industry overlooks a fundamental priority: putting Hippocratic values first, and balancing shareholder returns with sustained value for patients.