Andy Mattes, a seasoned CEO with a wealth of experience in leading complex organizations such as Coherent Laser and Diebold speaks to Ayna's Ninad Singh. The conversation delves into the strategies and insights that Andy has garnered over the years, touching upon the challenges of mergers and acquisitions, financial stabilization, and the importance of setting ambitious yet achievable goals. Andy offers a deep dive into the art of navigating a company through competitive markets and regulatory frameworks, revealing the executive-level decisions that drive growth and success within large corporations.

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Andy Mattes is known for his impressive track record as the former CEO of Coherent, where he significantly increased operating margins and revenue between 2020 and 2022, culminating in the company's $7 billion sale to II-VI Incorporated. Prior to his tenure at Coherent, Andy led Diebold as its President and CEO, overseeing a period of robust growth including a 16% CAGR from 2013 to 2017 and the strategic $1.8 billion acquisition of Wincor-Nixdorf. His extensive background in managing companies that operate at the intersection of hardware, services, and software places him in a unique position to offer valuable insights into the complexities of steering industry-leading organizations toward transformative growth.

• Andy Mattes highlights Coherent's crucial role in producing OLED displays for smartphones, acknowledging the need for new growth strategies after equipment saturation.
• Mattes discusses navigating acquisitions in diverse regulatory environments, balancing German takeover laws' fund certainty with varied U.S. shareholder approval thresholds and timelines.
• Reflecting on Coherent's sale to II-IV Incorporated, Mattes underscores the importance of defining deal structures and the CEO's role in post-acquisition transitions.
• Internal support is vital for successful transformations, as revealed by organizational health surveys at Coherent, providing actionable insights for strategic change.
• Mattes advocates for adopting an activist or private equity mindset to identify ambitious yet achievable growth opportunities, setting challenging goals for companies.
• Reflecting on career milestones, Mattes highlights lessons on financial management, including the impact of operational decisions on EPS and the critical role of cash flow in meeting payroll.