Educational Technology Organization
THE CHALLENGE
Post-merger integration (“PMI”) for the prior acquisitions was unsuccessful, leading to inconsistency in expected business outcomes for the current as well as future acquisitions. With inconsistent and ineffective PMI strategies and lessons learned from past acquisitions, the organization needed help recognizing strategies and plans to be adjusted.
While in the M&A process, leadership found themselves challenged to address various business challenges and questions about the impact on customers and the employees of both the acquiring and the acquired company following the merger, which led to uneasy customers and employees.
The merger and acquisition goals were to keep the organizations separate yet to capitalize on some synergies and grow their top line (ARR) while retaining 100% of their employees and 100% of the customers from the acquired company. However, as the acquisitions occurred, they needed to better plan for PMI and execution.
Each functional area of the edTech company needed to do its part in contributing to the desired business outcome and PMI results.
Management realized their business objectives were at risk due to their incomplete PMI activities.
THE SITUATION
TECHCXO INTERVENTION
Bob and the TechCXO team worked closely with the Chief Operating Officer and the Head of Global Operations to develop the PMI execution project plan and define the M&A execution team to develop a repeatable PMI plan – a playbook – for future acquisitions while supporting the integration of their third acquisition.
Designated a timeline for execution based on the meetings with the edTech Executive leadership team to approve the plan, establish the project governance structure and reporting, and define and assign tasks supporting their achievement goals, expectations, and the end result.
We created an effective communication plan with the right content and messaging to communicate expectations to stakeholders, employees, and customers from due diligence PMI planning to prepare for day zero and beyond.
We built a project management governance structure and project management tools with well-defined status reporting requirements. This led to the creation of an integration project management office responsible for managing and addressing identified tasks within each functional area, reporting to executive management on the execution status of the PMI plan, and mitigating identified risk factors
THE OUTCOME
With the extensive M&A experience and expertise from Bob Toth and the TechCXO team consisting of functional executives such as the COO, CFO, CTO, and PMO, the edTech company implemented an effective, best-practice task-driven project management structure. In addition, it defined the critical role of PMI in the initial due diligence and acquisition decisions and subsequent deal negotiations. Consequently, with guidance from TechCXO and Bob Toth, the edTech company successfully integrated their third acquisition. In addition, they gained the PMI playbook to use in future acquisitions, including lessons learned and a repeatable process for their leadership.
The TechCXO team and Bob Toth were valuable executives to our company’s newest acquisition. They provided an outstanding PMI playbook that has set our business up for success in all our future acquisitions.
– Chief Operating Officer
