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Merger Integration Planning & Execution

The Far Side of the…Merger

Private equity firms are increasing their percentage of spend on add-on acquisitions. The promise is that buying companies in like industries will spur growth, drive revenue, and lead to synergies that lower costs, increase returns and create more profitable businesses with better dividend recap opportunities and exit options. But promises made aren’t always promises kept. Success is dictated by the ‘far-side’ of the deal: Post Merger Integration (PMI). At Accordion, we have the proven track record helping companies navigate the financial and non-financial nuances of pre- and post-close integration. We have the playbooks for repeatable acquisition process and integration. We have the people with the consulting and critical ‘in-company’ experience on both the buy and sell-side of the deal. You name it, we have it.

The Accordion Approach to Merger Integration

IMO Establishment

Step 1 of any integration plan is an absolute understanding of deal thesis followed by the establishment of an Integration Management Office (IMO) to execute against that thesis. Step 2 must be empowering that office by finding someone with the credibility to effectively lead it. Accordion spearheads IMO establishment and supports IMO operations: developing its resources and structure, identifying the team, creating governance models, integration playbooks, and reporting dashboards, and defining success metrics and measurement cadence.

Thesis-Informed Roadmap

Not all mergers are born the same, nor do they have the same scale, scope or strategic imperatives. The integration roadmap must be informed by the investment thesis and then customized to meet the needs of the buyer. Accordion architects integration roadmaps around key value drivers by drafting the team best suited to achieve deal rationale, establishing early success metrics and by doing the yeoman’s work to meet – and exceed – those goals.

Recognizing the Variables

A fundamental understanding of the financial (and non-financial) variables to integration success can be the difference between a successful add-on and one that simply doesn’t add up. Accordion understands the entire integration landscape. We not only assist clients with functional management (finance/accounting and IT/technology support), but with process leadership and with people integration (the most critical, and overlooked, variable to deal success).

Calculate and Communicate

The two c’s to success. At Accordion, we’re uniquely talented at calculating growth opportunities and synergy targets and singularly obsessed with tracking against them. We don’t just take the 30,000-foot view – we get granular on revenue realization, capital management and reduction plans across the organization. Then we communicate precise progress to all internal stakeholders. And there’s more – we oversee script creation for the extended network of stakeholders: employees, customers, suppliers, relevant industry media and broader financial constituencies.

Need Support With Your Next Merger? Let's Talk.