Fifteen years ago, I set out to write a book about dating. Not because I had any grand insight into romance, but because I was fascinated by the mechanics of human connection: the preparation, the anticipation, the conversation, the spark, or the absence of it. But as I started writing, I realised it wasn’t a book about love, it was a book about business and, more specifically, a book about mergers and acquisitions.

In my role as CEO of Pottinger – a corporate advisory firm focused on both strategy and M&A – I’ve lived the highs and lows of many transactions, some consummated, some not. I’ve learned that the dynamics that shape a successful date can also help close business deals.