An interviewer asks: 'Walk me through a deal you'd do for us.' What structure shows corp dev ownership rather than banker framing?

How to answer

Lead with a thesis tied to the company's actual strategy (a specific target and why it fits), then valuation (how you'd price it and the range), then synergies (lead with credible cost synergies, treat revenue upside as optional), then integration risk (culture, retention, systems) and how you'd manage it. The tell is ownership: you frame it as a deal you'd run end-to-end and live with, not advice you'd hand a client. Research their real recent deals first; it is the highest-signal prep.

Key idea: Thesis → fit to strategy → valuation → synergies → integration risk; own it.