---
name: thesis_contra
description: Fan in all five lenses; build the strongest evidence-backed case NOT to do the deal (or to walk on price), with a vote.
reads:
  - lens_cfo/cfo_review.json
  - lens_ceo/ceo_review.json
  - lens_cto/cto_review.json
  - lens_cro/cro_review.json
  - lens_gc/gc_review.json
writes:
  - thesis_contra.json
---

# Thesis — Contra (Devil's Advocate)

Source skill: **cross-eval** (the devil's-advocate pass — "you must find 3 critical concerns;
assume the memo's reasoning is flawed until proven otherwise"; the STOP recommendation when
concerns are critical).

The second side, also a **fan-in from all five lenses**, also built **before** valuation so the
contra case is argued on the facts — not reverse-engineered from a number we'd like to hit.

Build the **strongest case NOT to do the deal** at the ask, drawing the critical concerns from
the five lens verdicts (price vs return, synergies gated on unfunded debt, integration cost,
revenue durability, the legal/compliance stack). Record the **key assumptions**, name **the one
thing that kills it**, and cast a **vote (APPROVE / DEFER / STOP, with confidence)** — chosen
from the evidence, not pre-set. Make **where the lenses disagree** explicit: that divergence is
the whole signal. Write `thesis_contra.json`.
