Mergers and acquisitions are high-risk, and surveys show the majority of acquisitions fail to achieve their objectives. The merger process presents many challenges to companies before, during and after integration. During due diligence, corporations start to realize the enormity and complexity of such tasks as integrating IT, as well as standardizing approaches and communicating them to HR, accounting, legal and risk management. Companies also must decide how to best integrate completely different cultures while continuing business as usual.
By putting a plan in place and using an objective, experienced team to guide the process, companies can integrate quickly, increase the likelihood of success and create additional value. Grant Thornton’s merger integration services professionals help clients identify critical success factors and develop a roadmap for a smooth integration of the acquisition target. Using project planning solutions, our team helps organizations move from due diligence to integration with a comprehensive plan for the first 100 days.
This structured plan covers areas such as:
- creating a project management office;
- merger communications planning and roll-out to employees, clients and relevant third parties transition services agreements;
- reorganization strategies and staff augmentation;
- assessment of HR, training, compensation and benefit policies;
- integration of infrastructure, such as business development, marketing, finance and legal policy, procedure and contract standardization; and
- IT assessment and integration
