It is widespread knowledge that 50% to 80% of all mergers and acquisitions fail to deliver the benefits described in their business case, and a sign of blissful ignorance that so many companies continue to embark on major acquisitions or mergers whilst ill-prepared, confident that they will reach a successful outcome when in fact the odds are seriously stacked against them.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, numerous case studies show us that companies that have grown through a series of mergers and acquisitions demonstrate repeated success in integrating these new businesses.\u00a0 This proves that there are lessons to be learnt, and that repeated experience is essential to be able to plan, prepare and execute a complex integration to deliver a positive and value-creating outcome.<\/p>\n
Integrating companies has very little in common with \u201cbusiness as usual\u201d : it requires the ability to execute a complex business transformation programme whilst driving two businesses, rather than one, which are most probably both destabilised and whose employees\u2019 effectiveness may dip as a consequence of the distraction and uncertainty caused by the merger, whilst also reaching the commercial targets set in the business plan, the synergies expected from the merger or acquisition, and creating the target organisation with fully integrated processes, ways of working and culture.<\/p>\n
The challenge for the team at the top is therefore huge;\u00a0 it actually becomes an impossible task unless additional resources are called in and responsibilities clearly segregated between maintaining the day-to-day business on track and driving the integration effort.<\/p>\n
Integrating business is an art : the combination of skill and talent.\u00a0 The skill is in the way one can achieve one of the essential components of a successful integration : speed.\u00a0 Speed requires preparation and excellent programme management.\u00a0 The talent is that of good leadership to drive durable change.\u00a0 This is why serial acquirers are remarkably good integrators : they know what can be prepared in advance, they are aware of the interdependencies that need to be managed throughout the integration programme, they have learnt to plan for the usual hurdles which appear in such business transformation initiatives and have developed a flair to pre-empt issues in their early stages.\u00a0 They also know what traits of leadership are essential to drive change and how gaps in some individuals\u2019 talent can be overcome.<\/p>\n
Before becoming an excellent serial acquirer, every company has had a \u201cfirst\u201d and learnt from someone who had the experience and the ability to transfer that knowledge onwards.\u00a0 The icebreaker team includes individuals who have successfully driven numerous business integrations, often on a continental scale.\u00a0 By working with the Executive team<\/span>s of client companies, they allow these businesses to manage the dual focus of on-going commercial activity and integration.\u00a0 In doing this, the organisation progresses along a learning curve, having gathered a capital of knowledge and new experience which will be of immense value for the integration of the next acquisition.\u00a0 This is the substance of icebreaker\u2019s motto : \u201cWe transform management team capability to leave a revitalised legacy\u201d.<\/p>\n About Paul Siegenthaler Icebreaker Executive M&A lead<\/strong><\/p>\n His expertise, excellent interpersonal and communication skills were major factors in our success in bringing the two companies together so quickly\u201d. <\/strong><\/span>\u201cCEO, Linpac<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cPaul Siegenthaler\u2019s experience as a practicing manager in the field of international M&A is unrivalled.\u00a0 His insights and advice are invaluable\u201d.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/strong>Professor Christopher Bones, Dean, Henley Business School.<\/p>\n Paul Siegenthaler Bio<\/strong><\/p>\n Paul Siegenthaler has successfully delivered integration programmes on a variety of scales, from a continental scale with a programme budget exceeding USD\u00a0100 million, to local integration or carve-out projects. Upside range from an annual EUR 8.3 million improvement in EBITDA in the case of a European merger, to a total USD 193.3 million in the eight years following the completion of a USD 110.8m programme in North America<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" M&A Integration : getting it right first time …The Long […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1873","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-interim-management","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n