From Fragmentation to European Champions: Can AI Reinvent buy-and-build?

Europe is home to many successful small and mid-sized businesses operating in fragmented markets. Bringing them together can create scale, but consolidation alone does not resolve differences in technology or operations. AI introduces another possibility: using a shared technological foundation to improve how the combined businesses work.

Building on the preceding AI roll-up keynote, this panel moves from investment concept to practical execution. M&A, IT transformation and corporate-strategy perspectives address target selection, legacy-system modernisation and operational integration. The discussion considers where AI can improve profitability and what implementation requires from management teams.

Can this approach create sustainable European champions? The answer depends on whether acquired businesses can become a coherent platform with lasting commercial advantages. The panel examines the opportunities and challenges of delivering value beyond the acquisition strategy itself.