Beyond the Deal: Leading People Through Mergers, Acquisitions & Restructuring
2025 is seeing a rise in mergers, acquisitions, and restructuring across healthcare, tech, CPG, and finance as organizations respond to market consolidation, cost pressures, and private equity influence. Yet most deals fail to deliver value because the human experience of change is neglected.
Join Cassandra Worthy, founder of Change Enthusiasm Global, with panelists Hayley Berkshire (Vice President Sales at Kellanova) and Suzanne Long (CEO and Founder at Fauxliage), for a conversation exploring how to lead teams through high-stakes transitions. We’ll unpack the realities of post-deal life, offering both strategic frameworks and practical insights for leaders who want to sustain engagement and performance during uncertain times.
We’ll discuss:
✔️ Cultural integration and how to prevent the “us vs. them” divide
✔️ Communicating vision and addressing fears early in the process
✔️ Retaining and re-engaging top talent during uncertainty
✔️ Clarifying roles and redesigning structures post-deal
✔️ Case studies and lessons from failed and successful integrations
✔️ Balancing speed (synergy capture) with empathy (trust building)
About our panelists
Hayley Berkshire
Vice President Sales | Kellanova
Hayley Berkshire is a high-impact sales leader known for driving revenue growth and building high-performing teams for iconic brands. She began her career in sales analytics and account management at Perrigo Co. and Kellogg Co., developing expertise in data-driven decision-making and customer engagement. Hayley advanced to Senior Director of Sales where she managed the Kellogg Snacks portfolio with Walmart, implementing double-digit revenue growth strategies and being named one of Progressive Grocer’s Top Women in Grocery Rising Stars. She later spearheaded commercial strategy for Eggo and Morningstar Farms at Kellanova, leading through transformational change and achieving 100% employee engagement and retention. In 2024, Hayley became Vice President of Sales at Kellanova where she is focused on driving growth against the Club Channel while developing future leaders within the company. She holds a BA from the University of Michigan and a Graduate Certificate in Project Management from the University of Virginia and is passionate about the food industry and creating a better world for the future.
🔗 Connect with Hayley on LinkedIn
Suzanne Long
CEO and Founder | Fauxliage
Suzanne Long began her career at Accenture, consulting for Fortune 100 companies. She joined Albertsons in 2001, where she pioneered the application of Lean Six Sigma in the grocery retail industry. In 2008, she became Retail Practice Leader at consulting firm SSA & Company, working with clients such as Kroger and Office Depot. Returning to Albertsons in 2012, she led the integrations of five major acquisitions—including the largest grocery merger in U.S. history—that grew the company into the second-largest U.S. grocery retailer. In 2020, she became Group Vice President of Strategic Sourcing and Sustainability, and a year later, the company’s Chief Sustainability and Transformation Officer. Earlier this year, she left that position to pursue a lifelong dream of starting her own business. Suzanne graduated from Duke University with honors and serves on the Advisory Boards of The Nest Climate Campus, TigerHall, and Food Rescue US, as well as on three nonprofit boards.