What is the typical business profile of people who face these issues?

Senior financial and non-financial executives involved in M&A activities and processes.

How will I benefit from participating in this workshop?

You will be better able to:

• Develop successful integration plans and procedures
• Address consolidation accounting and fair value assessment issues
• Be able to prepare and present meaningful acquisition presentations to Board of Directors and Senior Management

What will I do in this workshop?

Preparation  

The workshop begins with pre-work. Prerequisite to the success of the workshop is to read selected articles and these will be actively used during the two days. Finally you should return the questionnaire which will allow us to understand your expectations of the programme, motivation to come to the workshop and your current career challenges.

Module A: The Merger & Acquisition Process 

This module defines and addresses the M&A process giving participants a working framework to of a typical post acquisition integration process and the procedures needed to analyse and address Market, Operational and financial concerns.

The module includes the following topics:

• Overview of M&A Transaction types
• Review of the M&A process
• Building the integration team
• Defining key issues and concerns

Module B: Strategic Planning  

Any acquisition should only take place if the acquiring entity has a set of clear goals and expectations from such a transaction and a solid understanding as to how to achieve these targets within a realistic and logical framework. As such this module specifically address the strategic planning process under pinning an acquisition and highlights the typical factors and issues that such a plan should encompass and address.
During this module you and your team will take on the role of a Senior Line Manager responsible for the integration and management of the newly established merged entity, with specific responsibility of setting long term strategic goals and targets of the new business and developing a strategic plan for approval by the CEO.
The module includes the following topics:  

• Setting the strategic framework and goals of the merged entity
• Defining a road map timetable to long term objectives
• Addressing product and channel conflicts
• Establishing effective communication strategy
• Planning expected redundancy and cost reduction targets
• Reviewing and identifying duplicated activities and functions
• Defining long term reporting and operational structures

Module C: The First 90 Days  

Following a successful acquisition process and in context of the overall strategic plan noted above you and your team must now address the realities of taking on a new business and specifically the issues and concerns implicit in the first 90 days of the integration process. As such this module addresses the planning and realities of the first 90 day period and the issues that need to be addressed and managed. Specifically the team will need to review issues such as employee communication, market messaging, sales expectations, reporting structures, and a range of other time sensitive issues and concerns.
This module includes following topics:

• Defining and resolving short to medium term goals and expectations
• Staff communication and messaging
• Reporting systems and information requirements.
• Sales channel messaging to KOL and field personnel
• Employee leadership and training
• Financial planning and budgeting implications  
• Defining workable and effective KPI’s and metrics 

Module D: Getting down to Business, the Next 18 months  

After establishing a solid working relationship and addressing the short term issues arising from the acquisition itself the next task is to develop and implement the first or tactical round of consolidation and integration changes necessary to ensure effective business alignment and reduce duplication of activities and processes. This plan is generally clarified and finalised within the first 90 day period noted under Module C and is designed to complement the overall strategic objectives of the acquisition venture, as well as address the realities arising from initial operations.
Specifically the module includes the following topics:

• Operational changes and procedures.
• Product rationalisation and phase out
• Branding and naming conventions
• Product messaging and positioning
• Logistic consolidations
• Product development requirements / rationalisations
• IT system integration
• Financial and reporting system consolidation.

Module E: Wrap up and Review, 24 to 36 Months  

Depending on the business and the relative size of the acquisition itself most companies will have completed the consolidation and alignment processes arising from an acquisition within two to three years or sooner. At which point it is generally best practise to undertake a review and assessment of the integration process and the net results arising from the transaction to the business both financially and operationally.
Specifically the module will address:

• Post transactional financial assessment
• Operational issues and concerns
• Lessons log and learning’s

Module F: Summary and Conclusion  

During the last part of the programme we will reassess the critical issues and points arising from a typical acquisition process and the net results of the course as well as have participants given an assessment of their own experience and the changes they perceive needed to readdress such issues going forward. The workshop facilitator will give you feedback and recommendations as conclusion of the programme.

• Group discussions and facilitator coaching
• Personal action planning and your next steps
• Post-programme reading list