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"Do No Harm" ... Too Late!

Stating "No Change" in the Short-Term Can Cause Longer-Term Value Erosion
by Jack Prouty, President, M&A Leadership Council
 
A year or so ago Jim Jeffries (Chairman of the Council) and I conducted a number of executive briefings to understand various companies’ approaches to M&A integration. On two occasions we heard what we would describe, from our experiences and expertise, as a “worse” practice: Do No Harm! Their approach was that in the first 12 months after close of the transaction they would not make any changes to the acquired company. 

Email Migration- An M&A Integration Necessity

M&A: Top Driver for Email Transformations
by Steven Pivnik, CEO, Binary Tree
 
There are several drivers for email change. One of the most frequent is mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. Email transformation projects, driven by business need, often possess additional dimensions of complexity and higher levels of executive oversight.

M&A Facts 'n Stats: Apr 2015

Some Interesting M&A Data
Provided by Mergermarket
 
Mergermarket has released its Global M&A roundup for Q1 2015, including its league tables for financial advisors. Take a look at the report (with a brand new layout that is graphic and chart heavy for better ease of use) HERE!  A few key findings in the US include:

Career Opportunities - April 2015

Seeking to Fill M&A Positions

The M&A Leadership Council is routinely asked to refer experienced independent or boutique consultants and project contractors for a variety of general M&A, due diligence and integration assignments. Typical assignments are with Fortune 500 or upper mid-market acquirers with active or pending opportunities. Currently, the following prospective, project-based opportunities are being sourced.

Why Leaders Undervalue the "Human Element" in Deals

Challenges Every Leader Faces in M&A
by Moira Donoghue, who is a former Partner and Global Strategic Adviser in the M&A practice at Mercer, and Key Presenter at "The Art of People Leadership in M&A: Managing Talent, Culture & Change for Deal Success"

Despite years of evidence from research and the lessons of low-performing acquisitions, many still fail to capitalize on the richest resource available to an acquirer – its people.  Why does this still happen?

Mar 2015 Chairman's Message: "The Need for Speed" in M&A Integration

Element 1 in the S3 Guidance Model: Speed
By Jim Jeffries, Chairman, M&A Leadership Council
 
One of the world’s great CEOs, who became famous for growth by acquisitions, was Jack Welch, during his tenure at GE.  Jack has often said about M&A Integration, as he also did about business in general, “If you’re not fast, you can’t win.  Speed is everything.”  He often went on to say, “Bureaucracy is terrified of speed.”  Thanks, Jack and I agree. 

Surprises Around the Water Cooler: Unexpected Employee Reactions to Change in M&A

Employees' Choices vs. Leadership's Expectations
by Moira Donoghue, a former Partner and Global Strategic Adviser in the M&A practice at Mercer, and Key Presenter at "The Art of People Leadership in M&A: Managing Talent, Culture & Change for Deal Success"

Employers typically believe they understand what motivates employees to feel and behave in certain ways.  Sometimes they are right.  But during periods of significant change – such as during an acquisition – those beliefs may turn out to be unfounded and the employer is left with some unpleasant surprises and confusion about how to mitigate them.

Creativity and Innovation: The Best (Not So Secret) Weapons in the Battle for World-Class Talent and Ideas

Liquid Change - A New Mindset and Approach 
by Tyler Durham, Partner & Managing Director, Ketchum Change

The world needs a fresh approach for leading change, shaping culture and communicating effectively. New technologies, new generations, new markets, new competitive threats and entire new ways of work demand new solutions. We call this new mindset and approach Liquid Changesm – a critical strategy to help leaders, teams and organizations thrive in a world of constant, fluid change.

Consolidation Strategy: Part II

PART II: Finding and Capturing Value in Consolidating Industries
by Ken Smith, Author and Strategy Consultant

In Part I (M&A Monthly / February 2015) we outlined the reasons why industries consolidate, the drivers of consolidation and how winners can anticipate and lead consolidation.  Part II examines the specific sources of value, why value so often transfers to the seller, and how to capture value as a buyer. 

New Video: Crowe Talks Valuation with "The Deal"

3 Important Insights from Crowe Horwath's Valuation Services Leader 
Contributed by Crowe Horwath LLP

Companies looking to seize opportunities in the booming mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market need to be fully prepared to face the rigors of the valuation process. Crowe Horwath LLP Valuation Services Leader Mary Ann Travers recently sat down with The Deal to discuss how organizations of different sizes are preparing for valuations and to offer insights on: