New York Post

Musk’s Takeover of Twitter Reminds Me of PE Tech M&A in 2003

With Some Important Twists

Elon Musk’s $44 Billion takeover of Twitter will be another radical shift for the software industry. In many way what has transpired in the past week reminds me of Private Equity Tech M&A in the early 2000s. There are some very important differences however. Will the X super app be the long-term savior of Twitter and another huge notch in Elon’s belt?

In this article we will discuss:

• Private Equity Tech M&A In 2003
• In 2022, Twitter was Struggling, but Not Distressed
• Musk’s Deal and the Challenges He Faces
• Musk’s Potential 7-Step Plan
• 1. There’s a New Sheriff in Town
• 2. Decapitate the Old Culture
• 3. Send in the Shock Troops
• 4. Challenge Sacred Cows
• 5. Experiment with New Revenue Streams
• 6. Restructure Operating Expenses
• 7. Eliminate Stock Buybacks

Private Equity Tech M&A In 2003

After the DotCom Crash of 2000, private equity stepped into the tech M&A game in a big way. PE firms would find underperforming assets, acquire them…