We need a revolution in M&A
All the big name consultancies have used an identical process for delivering mergers and acquisitions over the last 20 years, always sold on fear: “deals fail”, “focus on quick cost synergies”, “revenue synergies are difficult”, and “use our structured process”. They’ve been at this for two decades and we have yet to see headlines that deals are now more successful as a result.
Let us be frank, most M&A advisors don’t care - they get paid a commission if the deal completes, not whether it succeeds or fails. We are here to turn the industry on its head, challenge how everything is done and show that there is another way.
Build around Customer Insight.
We don’t start by focusing on the usual cost synergies and organisation structures, we start with customer insight and put that at the heart of integration planning. Keeping close to your customers is a basic tenet of how to run a successful business - why should you take your eye off your customers while you integrate?
Avoid management consultants.
Your people understand your company and your clients better than any consultant. We know it can be hard to drive change when you’re a permanent part of an organisation, and M&A is a skill that needs to be learned - we deal with both of these barriers by coaching and training:
We help you identify, develop and retain top employees and future leaders.
We reduce fatigue and resistance to change from external consultants.
We help you retain knowledge and the ability to drive change.
Create your own flow.
Building a skilled team and empowering them to deliver is a central philosophy of ‘Agile’ software development. Just as with mergers and acquisitions, an agile approach is usually the best way to deal with situations where there is a high degree of uncertainty and complexity. However, it only works when you’re willing to acknowledge and tackle the big issues - the ‘gorilla in the room’. Our previous clients will vouch that we don’t hesitate from tackling the unsaid and uncomfortable issues around people and organisations that get in the way.
See people and culture as an enabler not a barrier to change.
When aligned around a shared goal, people can be amazingly flexible and are able to rapidly adapt to new opportunities and environments. They may not react in the rational and logical way that you might expect from an MBA text book, but if you take time to understand our human biases you can have your culture drive your strategy.
By rethinking how everything is done when delivering mergers and acquisitions our clients become confident in their ability to use M&A to drive growth. Each new deal helps create a self-reinforcing cycle of growth in the value of their business.
We have a combined experience of over 150 deals including adventures into software development, leveraged buy-outs, new product development and investment fundraising.
We have a fresh way of thinking that’s up to speed with the world we live in. Working with us will feel different to anyone else you have worked with before.
