EY: Southeast Asia’s appetite for M&A at multi-year high
Southeast Asian (SEA) companies’ appetite for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) is at a multi-year high amid optimism that business will recover from the COVID-19 pandemic as early as this year or the next, according to an EY survey.
The consulting firm’s latest Global Capital Confidence Barometer survey shows that over half, or 56%, of respondents in SEA are looking to actively pursue M&A in the next 12 months — the highest proportion since 2012 and also higher than the 11-year average of 44% in past surveys.
The respondents, who comprised business executives, seem to be looking within their own region for M&A opportunities. Just under half (46%) expect that SEA will generate the most growth prospects and opportunities for their company in the next three years, followed by India (18%), Japan (15%) and Oceania (11%).
