Interim M&A Rewired: Why Interim M&A Expertise Will Matter in Europe in 2026 | Zanda Blog

Introduction

Europe’s M&A and private equity ecosystem is entering 2026 with a different energy.

After several years defined by hesitancy, lower deal volumes, valuation mismatches, regulatory headwinds, and the drag of high interest rates, the mood is shifting. While no one is forecasting a sudden boom, the signals are clear: confidence is returning, pipelines are building, and capital is preparing to move.

In this new cycle, execution capability will become the differentiator. For founders, boards, and investors, interim M&A expertise will not be optional. It will be a strategic lever for capturing value while others are still re-orienting.

2026 Market Outlook: Slow, Steady, Strategic

Most market observers expect 2026 to deliver a gradual uplift in transactions rather than a spike. Across buy-side and sell-side activity, several themes are driving momentum:

• Companies reevaluating portfolios after a period of caution
• Succession and leadership transitions prompting divestitures
• Strategic growth moves in tech, healthcare, and industrials
• PE sponsors pursuing carve-outs, bolt-ons, and platform expansions

Despite lower deal counts in the last cycle, overall valuations remained supported by large transactions. This signals that funds have dry powder to deploy, though with greater selectivity than before.

Mid-market deals in particular are primed for activity. Consolidation, scale plays, and strategic exits are all resurfacing, especially in sectors where digital transformation has widened the performance gap between leaders and laggards.

The transactions may be returning, but they are not getting simpler. Regulatory scrutiny, geopolitical constraints, AI-driven operational shifts, and cross-border tax considerations are adding more complexity to deal design and execution.

Looking into 2026

Private Equity Is Preparing for a Deployment Phase

European private equity is heading into 2026 with capital, conviction, and pent-up plans.

Fundraising has been more challenging than in the previous cycle, but it is stabilising. LP expectations are changing. And GPs are positioning themselves for more exits and more acquisitions over the next 12 to 18 months.

Sponsors are already preparing for:

• Carve-outs used offensively rather than defensively
• Technology-led platform growth in areas such as AI, automation, and digital infrastructure
• Cross-border deal flow between Europe and the United States
• Thesis-driven rollups in fragmented market segments

Many firms have clarity on direction and access to capital, yet still find their execution capacity stretched.

Origination, diligence, integration, and portfolio support all stretch internal teams that were never designed for sustained transaction cycles. This is why PE operators are increasingly tapping interim M&A specialists to close the execution gap and maintain deal velocity.

Hiring Data Confirms What Pipelines Suggest

One of the strongest leading indicators of rising deal momentum is hiring. Over the last quarter, senior M&A recruitment in Europe has accelerated.

Publicly visible roles already include:

• Over 570 Director-level M&A roles in the UK, with more than 300 in London
• Over 600 Director of M&A and Corporate Development roles across the UK
• More than 60 senior hiring mandates in Spain
• Active senior M&A searches in Germany, Switzerland, and France

The relevance here is not just volume, it’s seniority level.

Companies are not hiring juniors to monitor the market. They are hiring leaders to run transactions, manage advisors, and own integration and regulatory complexity.

And the talent profiles being hired tell a clear story:

• Former bankers and PE operators
• Corporate development leaders from tech scaleups
• Audit and transactional services professionals
• Specialists in antitrust, regulatory, and tax
• Digital and systems integration experts

M&A in 2026 will require both technical foundation, such as valuation and diligence, and operational fluency, such as integration and systems alignment. Very few organisations have both in-house.

Where Interim M&A Expertise Makes the Difference

Most finance and strategy teams are built for steady-state operations, not for multi-month, multi-party transactions. As dealmaking picks up, interim M&A professionals are filling the gap across five critical dimensions:

1. Deal Execution Without Disruption

Interim teams run the transaction including diligence, modelling, documentation, and coordination. Internal leaders continue to run the business without splitting focus.

2. Managing Rising Complexity

Modern deals often span jurisdictions, regulators, and technology stacks. Interim specialists navigate issues such as:

• Regulatory and antitrust approvals
• Cross-border legal and tax structuring
• Technology and data system integration
• ESG and reporting requirements

3. Orchestrating External Advisors

Transactions require input from lawyers, banks, consultants, tax advisors, and diligence providers. Without coordination, value leaks quickly. Interim leads keep information flowing and timelines intact.

4. Early Risk Identification

Experienced interim operators surface issues before they become problems, including:

• Data fragmentation and quality issues
• Compliance and regulatory pitfalls
• Integration blockers that degrade post-deal value
• Misaligned valuation drivers

5. Protecting Operational Focus

When interim teams absorb the transactional workload, CEOs, CFOs, and operators avoid the worst outcome of all: a deal process that harms commercial momentum or damages internal confidence.

The Interim Talent Model: What Good Looks Like

The strongest interim M&A professionals tend to come from one of six backgrounds, each bringing distinct value:

• Former Investment Bankers: structuring, modelling, cross-border execution
• Ex-PE Operators: buy-and-build, platform scaling, carve-outs
• Corporate Development Leaders: integration and strategic execution in fast-moving environments
• Audit and Transaction Services Professionals: reporting, diligence, valuation fundamentals
• Regulatory, Tax and Antitrust Specialists: navigating approvals and compliance
• Digital and Data Integration Specialists: system harmonisation, FP&A alignment, AI-enabled workflows

Together, they create a modular execution engine that companies can deploy without permanent hires or long onboarding cycles.

For boards, founders, and PE sponsors, the benefits are consistent:

• Faster deal cycles
• Lower execution and integration risk
• Better advisor coordination
• Less internal distraction
• Higher post-deal value creation

Sector Signals: Where Activity Is Building First

Deal momentum is not evenly distributed. Early indicators point to rising activity in:

• Technology: platform M&A, AI-led consolidation, digital infrastructure
• Financial Services: regulatory-driven transactions, fintech consolidation
• Healthcare and Life Sciences: pipeline and innovation-led acquisitions
• Industrial and Manufacturing: mid-market consolidation and efficiency acquisitions

These are also sectors where integration and regulatory complexity tend to be highest, reinforcing the need for specialised execution support.

What Readiness Looks Like Going Into 2026

As deal activity returns, the gap between organisations that are ready and those that are merely interested will widen quickly.

In 2026, success will be less about predicting the market and more about having the operational muscle to act when conditions align. Many boards and investors are already aligned on direction, but fewer have pressure-tested their ability to execute multiple transactions without strain.

Across Europe, the most prepared organisations share a few common traits:

• They have clarity on where M&A fits into their broader strategy
• They understand which parts of execution can be handled internally and which require specialist support
• They plan transaction capacity in advance, rather than reacting once a deal is live

This preparation matters because deal windows are narrowing. Processes are running faster, diligence expectations are higher, and regulators are less forgiving of missteps. Organisations that wait to assemble execution capability after a transaction launches often lose momentum or value.

Final Take: The Next Cycle Rewards Execution

Interim M&A expertise gives founders, boards, and investors the operating leverage to:

• Navigate complexity with confidence
• Move decisively when opportunities surface
• Protect operational performance during deal cycles

Rather than building fixed teams for uncertain volumes, many organisations are choosing flexible, specialist support that can be deployed precisely when required. This approach reduces risk, protects leadership bandwidth, and improves decision-making quality at critical moments.