Amid volatile market conditions and shifting energy valuations, investment banks face increasing pressure to deliver smarter, faster, and more reliable analysis with leaner teams. For one leading global investment bank specializing in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) within the energy sector, these challenges highlighted the need for more agile, data-driven workflows.

Partnering with Rystad Energy, the bank implemented a bespoke Upstream Screening Dashboard — a powerful tool that transformed how analysts identified opportunities, prepared client pitches, and evaluated assets. By automating previously manual and time-consuming tasks, the new solution helped the M&A division achieve unprecedented speed and precision, freeing up valuable time for strategic decision-making and client engagement.

Economic volatility and structural changes in global energy markets have reshaped how investment banks approach M&A activity. With fewer resources and rising expectations, the client’s energy M&A division needed to balance three core priorities:

• Maintaining high analytical rigor in a fast-paced environment

• Rapidly identifying and evaluating new investment opportunities

• Delivering consistent, high-quality insights to clients under tight timelines

Traditional workflows, built around manual data extraction and Excel-based screening, limited the team’s ability to react to opportunities in real time. Preparing a short list of potential acquisition targets could take more than an hour per query, reducing both responsiveness and productivity. The bank needed a scalable, intuitive data solution that could keep pace with client demands while maintaining the depth and accuracy of its analysis.

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Economic volatility and structural changes in global energy markets have reshaped how investment banks approach M&A activity. With fewer resources and rising expectations, the client’s energy M&A division needed to balance three core priorities:

• Maintaining high analytical rigor in a fast-paced environment

• Rapidly identifying and evaluating new investment opportunities

• Delivering consistent, high-quality insights to clients under tight timelines

Traditional workflows, built around manual data extraction and Excel-based screening, limited the team’s ability to react to opportunities in real time. Preparing a short list of potential acquisition targets could take more than an hour per query, reducing both responsiveness and productivity. The bank needed a scalable, intuitive data solution that could keep pace with client demands while maintaining the depth and accuracy of its analysis.

The impact was transformative. With the Upstream Dashboard in place, the M&A division reduced the time required for key analytical tasks from over an hour to just 10–15 minutes. Analysts could now perform on-the-fly screening during client calls, instantly filter company portfolios, and pull up key metrics such as production, resources, and NPV — turning previously static conversations into data-driven discussions.

Rapid pre-call preparation became the new standard: ranked shortlists and opportunity screens could be generated in minutes, ensuring consistent quality and freeing teams from repetitive data manipulation. The dashboard also supported first-pass opportunity screening for client mandates, allowing analysts to identify, rank, and cross-check potential targets instantly.

In total, for every ten users, the M&A division gained efficiencies equivalent to one full-time employee — a measurable productivity boost that allowed resources to be redeployed toward higher-value activities like deal structuring, deep-dive valuation, and client relationship management.

By transforming its data workflows, the bank strengthened its competitive edge, improving both the speed and the sophistication of its advisory services. Rystad Energy’s flexible, collaborative approach ensured the solution remained aligned with evolving market needs — helping the client navigate uncertainty with confidence and clarity.