Strategic M&A: A path to thrive in the new normal?

Mark Garay

Mark is the Chief of Staff for the US Mergers, Acquisitions, and Restructuring Services practice. He facilitates the collaboration of M&A and restructuring services professionals, providing strategic and private equity investors with comprehensive service offerings across the deal lifecycle. Mark has been with Deloitte for more than 20 years. He received his J.D. from the Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley, and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, with Honors.

Kuttayan Annamalai

Kuttayan is a principal and leads Value Creation Services for Deloitte Consulting’s M&A practice. He focuses on leading clients through large-scale merger integrations and divestitures. In a career spanning more than 15 years, Kuttayan has led more than 40 global M&A transactions (including mergers, divestitures, carve-outs and spin-offs) and advises senior executives in developing integration and separation strategies, defining cost structures and operating models, managing M&A programs, planning for an issue-free Day 1, and realizing transaction value.

Kirk Blair

Kirk serves as a partner in Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP, and is the national practice area leader for Bankruptcy Accounting and Compliance services within the Turnaround & Restructuring of Deloitte Risk and Financial Advisory. In this capacity, he specializes in advising companies on court-required financial reporting while in Chapter 11 proceedings, managing the claim resolution process, and implementing emergence accounting requirements under Fresh Start Accounting guidance. His experience includes: Preparation of court required filings, such as the Schedule of Assets and Liabilities, the Statement of Financial Affairs, and the Monthly Operating Reports Serving as a claims management adviser in bankruptcy Fresh Start Accounting implementations for companies emerging from bankruptcy and execution of accounting for plan effects and Fresh Start adjustments Preparation of cash flow and operating projections Preparing/challenging business and reorganization plans Analysis of contract assumptions and rejections In addition to assisting numerous debtors, Kirk has also served unsecured creditors' committees, bank lenders, and other parties-in-interest in both formal bankruptcy proceedings and out-of-court restructurings, providing a full range of consulting services to clients across multiple industries. Publications and certifications Article on Fresh Start Accounting, co-authored with Tony Sasso and titled "Chapter 11 Sunny-side Up," was published in Business Finance Magazine in August 2008 Kirk is a certified public accountant (CPA) licensed in New Jersey, New York, and Idaho. He is also a member of the New Jersey State Society of Certified Public Accountants, the America Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Turnaround Management Association, and the Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors. Education BS, Syracuse University

Mark Purowitz

Mark is a senior partner in the Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) practice of Deloitte Consulting LLP, where he leads Strategy & Transformation for its broad M&A practice, as well as Deloitte's work on the Future of M&A. He also globally co-leads the Insurance M&A practice, as well as Deloitte’s internal incubator called Startup Deloitte, designed to identify new business opportunities across the firm.