What makes a successful post-merger integration?

First of all, being sure whch is your purpose/objectives.
And inmediately to act, act, and demonstrate who is the leader (or the owner).
In most cases, you must know and understand a previous culture, but not neccesarily accept it (as a fact in many cases not at all). The first days in leaving roles clear are critical.

Hi Irfan,

Successful post-merger integration would include the following priority areas, assuming a complex integration of two businesses:

1. Consult the architects of the merger to identify the up-to-date deal rationale. Identify and communicate the commonality and complementarity of the businesses.
2. Determine the overall integration approach: Ask yourself where on the spectrum it is between a full integration of two businesses, or a very light, hands-off approach. This should be consistent with (1).
3. Start integration planning early to ensure the businesses are prepared for Day One: Determine the non-negotiable internal and external deadlines to frame the integration timescales (this may include regulatory approvals).
4. Identify key people to be retained on both sides and manage accordingly.
5. Communicate clear objectives, timescales and purpose, to the extent confidentiality permits.
6. Identify the end- (integrated) state for each business unit and functional unit affected by the merger across at least: legal entities, operating platform/systems, processes, people and customer experience.
7. For any potential redundancies, ensure that the applicable HR processes and regulations are followed in the jurisdictions referred to in the respective contract(s).
8. For each integration workstream, identify interdependencies and the critical path.
9. Specifically, integrate financial reporting in line with the parent, taking accounting standards into account.

As each integration is unique, this is a generic list of initial priorities. Please get in touch if you agree/disagree or would like to discuss any of these points further.

Thanks,
Dhruv