Catherine O'Donnell, head of leveraged finance for North America at JPMorgan Chase & Co., anticipates a significant increase in merger and acquisition activity throughout 2025. Speaking at the JPM Leveraged Finance Conference in Miami Beach, O'Donnell shared her outlook during an interview with Bloomberg's Lisa Abramowicz.

O'Donnell's comments come as corporate executives weigh strategic moves in a shifting economic environment. The leveraged finance chief's perspective carries weight given JPMorgan's central role in facilitating major transactions across industries. Her assessment suggests executives may be preparing to capitalize on market conditions that could favor dealmaking.

While specific sectors weren't identified, O'Donnell's projection signals potential opportunities for investment banks, private equity firms, and corporate development teams. The anticipated uptick could mark a turnaround from recent years when high interest rates and economic uncertainty dampened transaction volumes.