The Riverside Co.

In case you missed it, here’s a roundup of special reports Mergers & Acquisitions published over the holidays, including our 2020 Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A; an in-depth look at technologies transforming the retail sector; a fresh look at giving back; and 8 Q&As with M&A advisors, including William Blair’s Andrew Jessen, about what to expect in the year ahead.

"As we think about investments in our world, understanding the broad implications is critical."

Rockwood Equity Partners' Kate Faust, William Blair's Shay Brokemond and Avante Capital Partners' Ivelisse Simon are among those recognized as champions of change.

Philanthropy has become a focus for many well-known PE investors, and their firms are encouraging employees to volunteer.

It's Cyber Monday, and all eyes are on retail, with robots front and center in our weekly series. Hostess buys sugar-free cookie maker. Richard Branson scraps deal to sell Virgin Atlantic stake, say reports. PE firms and founders at Clearlake, Riverside and Vista give back.

PE investors from Clearlake, Riverside and Vista encourage their employees to give back. Silver Lake buys stake in British soccer team Manchester City. Retailers, such as Kroger and Walmart, invest in automated warehouses, smart supermarkets and robots, in a race to keep up with Amazon.

Xerox weighs bid for HP, according to multiple media reports. Amperity buys customer analytics firm Custora to help retailers get a better grasp on shopping behavior. ICV, Riverside, make deals.

One Rock takes food ingredients producer Innophos private. Saks Fifth Avenue owner Hudson's goes private. Dealmakers gather at ACG Philadelphia's M&A East. More deal news from S.C. Goldman, Centre Partners and Accenture.

Betting on demand for better-for-you food products, Riverside formed advisory board to seek deals in the food ingredients sector. MLB gives path for investors to take stakes in teams. Today is the last day to submit nominations for the 2020 edition of Most Influential Women in mid-Market M&A.

Last years' honorees included: Marilyn Adler (Medley Capital), Jennifer Cotton (Madison Capital Funding), Nishita Cummings (Kayne Anderson), Venita Fields (Pelham S2K), Jeri Harman (Avante Mezzanine Partners), Pam Hendrickson (the Riverside Co.), Gretchen Perkins (Huron Capital) and Trisha Renner (Baird).