MetLife

The ability to organize, house and share key documents instantaneously has helped transform Metlife's M&A activity into a more effective and efficient process. 

The Situation

Collaboration is integral to the insurance giant’s corporate strategy. MetLife’s corporate development team relies on a bevy of subject matter experts both inside and outside the company when conducting buy-side due diligence.

The Problem

Use of email and internal shared drives for collaboration was common. However, email proved cumbersome and inefficient and lacked security safeguards. Use of shared drives locked information inside MetLife’s firewalls, cutting off access to information to many outside advisors and specialists that were key to the corporate development team. In addition, team members wasted valuable time searching for documents and worrying about version control.

The Implications

Quickly tapping into experts’ insights on transactions is essential for MetLife deal teams, which are spread across corporate functions and geographic regions. In order to more easily collaborate on transactions, and to securely exchange critical information inside and outside the company, they needed a better solution.

The Solution

MetLife chose Intralinks for the exchange of its critical information, creating a way for deal teams to instantaneously communicate with everyone working on the deal, regardless of location. Now, the deal team creates Intralinks Exchanges^TM when targets choose not to offer a virtual data room or to complement seller’s datarooms when they are provided. Both internal and external advisors and experts use the document repository to access and post information, including presentations, findings, project plans, derivative analysis, and other intellectual capital. 

The Result

MetLife now closes deals faster — shaving weeks off of the process through more efficient information distribution. Those involved in a transaction can easily find what they need, making the process more effective and efficient. MetLife also saves thousands of man hours and reduces costs by eliminating the need for teams to travel to onsite data rooms to review information.

The Benefit

MetLife now uses the same exchange for both ongoing deal activities and integration efforts, regardless of the deal’s size. By providing the integration team with quick access to critical information and background materials compiled during due diligence and negotiations, MetLife is able to get up to speed quickly, maximizing individual and team productivity around the globe.