# Episode 96: Inside the Deal with Brian Allen Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-tech-m-a-podcast-688826/episode-96-inside-the-deal-with-brian-allen Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-tech-m-a-podcast-688826/episode-96-inside-the-deal-with-brian-allen.md Podcast: [The Tech M&A Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-tech-m-a-podcast-688826) Published: 2026-03-24T19:58:00+00:00 Episode link: https://corumgroup.libsyn.com/episode-93-inside-the-deal-with-brian-allen Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/corumgroup/TMNAPODCAST_EP93_Brian_Allen_mixdown.mp3?dest-id=102536 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-tech-m-a-podcast-688826/episodes/episode-96-inside-the-deal-with-brian-allen Duration seconds: 682 ## Resource 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… ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-tech-m-a-podcast-688826/episodes/episode-96-inside-the-deal-with-brian-allen/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-tech-m-a-podcast-688826/episode-96-inside-the-deal-with-brian-allen.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.