Episode 96: Inside the Deal with Brian Allen

In this episode of the Tech M&A Podcast, we sit down with Brian Allen, former Managing Director and Chief Executive of Certus Solutions. Over the course of two decades, Brian grew Certus into a leading IBM-focused software and services provider in Australia and New Zealand, specializing in enterprise asset management. This journey culminated in a successful strategic sale to Egis, following a long-planned liquidity event for the company's shareholders. Brian discusses his decade-long relationship with Corum Group, which began during a prior M&A process, and explains why he chose to re-engage professional advisors for the Certus exit. He shares candid insights into managing a complex transaction that included a strategic "hiatus" period, the importance of maintaining competitive tension during negotiations, and his advice for CEOs navigating their first or second sale. This episode offers a masterclass in long-term value creation and the discipline required to execute a high-stakes liquidity event. Takeaways Plan for the long term: Successful exits are often the result of years of preparation to ensure maximum shareholder value. Specialization is key: Deep expertise in a specific ecosystem, such as IBM technologies, can position a firm as a dominant regional player. Maintain leverage: Using a "hiatus" or pause in a deal can be a strategic tool to reset expectations and ensure competitive tension. Professional representation matters: Engaging experienced advisors is critical when negotiating with large institutional buyers and global entities. Focus on the "Why": Understanding the specific timing for a liquidity event helps align the interests of all shareholders and stakeholders. Timestamps 00:11 – Introducing Brian Allen and the growth of Certus Solutions 01:22 – A ten-year history: First learning about Corum Group via Zcom 01:55 – Navigating the 15-year journey toward a liquidity event 03:40 – Scaling as a premier IBM partner in Australia and New Zealand 06:15 – Why Certus chose professional M&A representation for this exit 08:30 – Life after the deal: Advising Egis and future plans 09:30 – Navigating the transaction "hiatus" and its impact on the deal 10:07 – Creating competitive tension to protect deal terms 10:21 – How the hiatus ultimately benefited the final outcome 10:27 – Final thoughts and wrap-up

You can listen to Episode 96: Inside the Deal with Brian Allen online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Episode 96: Inside the Deal with Brian Allen is an episode from The Tech M&A Podcast by Heidi Owen.

This episode is 11:22 long.

This episode was published on Mar 24, 2026.

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