Executing a Successful Post-Merger Integration
The Situation
A Canadian company, after a transformative acquisition of a publicly traded Houston-based organization, needed merger integration management and execution expertise. At a pivotal point in the Company’s growth cycle, they relocated their headquarters from Canada to Houston and turned to Accordion given our deep integration management, F&A, and strategic finance experience. We then led the integration management office (IMO) and F&A workstream from incumbent consultants. The acquired public Company had more developed financial systems, processes, and reporting in place than the acquirer, which resulted in the decision to transform the combined companies’ end-state to the acquired business’ legacy environment.
Services
Merger Integration Planning & Execution
Finance Function Assessment & Design
Budgeting & Forecasting Process Improvement
Project Management Oversight
The Execution
IMO + F&A Leadership:
- Led the executive team and functional leads to create and execute detailed integration plans and report on the activities necessary for a timely, cost-efficient integration.
- Managed the integration, identified risks and issues, developed and implemented processes, drove issue resolution, and created a successful integration environment encompassing cross-functional plans centered around commercial, finance and accounting, operations, HR, and IT.
F&A:
- Developed end-state planning to allow for acquirer to integrate into existing public company’s ERP platform.
- Created specialty finance reporting for synergies / dis-synergies, non-recurring costs, capital expenditures, and consolidated cash flow reporting models.
IT:
- Drove cross-functional interdependency identification to ensure all stakeholders impacted by the ERP cutover would maintain business continuity and experience no disruption.
Operations:
- Developed reporting model for consolidated raw material purchases, new products, 4-wall and logistics modifications, and monthly executive package. Additionally, this model was used for product costing conversion from standard to actual costs.
Sales Team:
- Harmonized key policies, developed end-state org designs, and created commission plan models used in determining the appropriate timing for integration and manage risks associated with lost sales and retention of key individuals.
Human Resources:
- Fully transitioned to a consolidated platform; e.g. payroll, benefits, org design.
The Results
Accordion was the critical on-the-ground resource and advisor for the Company throughout the merger integration process. Our team took responsibility for the integration management/execution and F&A, including process development, execution of work streams, and timeline management. Further, we optimized client day-to-day involvement and key stakeholders were kept apprised of progress through weekly cross functional workshops and executive steering committee meetings. With our assistance, the Company successfully integrated and harmonized targeted functions and key processes/policies with no business disruption from the integration. The combined company was later acquired by a corporate strategic business.