Integration Management Office (IMO)

Free M&A Integration Management Office (IMO) Presentations, Articles, and Tools
 

The Integration Management Office (IMO) is a temporary project management office that coordinates, balances, and prioritizes the efforts of the various integration teams (Finance, HR, IT, Sales, Manufacturing, etc.) and helps them apply integration best practices, utilize standardized tools, create plans, and track progress.

The IMO is led by an Integration Manager who is typically employed by the Acquirer. An Integration Manager is more likely to succeed if he/she has credibility with the executive team, strong project management expertise, and high touch skills in the areas of persuasion, empathy, negotiation, and diplomacy.


The extended IMO is comprised of teams that are tasked with developing and executing the plans to integrate their areas of the organization. Each of these teams is led by a subject matter expert for their functional discipline. Cross-functional work streams in areas such as Change Management, Culture, Communications, and Go-To-Market, may also be part of the extended IMO.

The documents in this section of the web site will to help you onboard, educate, mobilize, and lead your integration teams.

IMO Meetings

IMO Guidance

IMO Tools

Mini-Presentations

IMO Meetings

Post-Merger Integration Planning Meeting

Post-Merger Integration Planning Meeting

IMO Meeting Objectives

Align on business principles and integration priorities:

  • Review integration strategy and key objectives
  • Review governance structure, roles and responsibilities
  • Review and reinforce integration philosophy

Agree to way of working together:

  • Review rules of engagement to ensure pre-close compliance with anti-trust guidelines. . .
The IMO Process Prior to Kickoff Meeting

The IMO Process Prior to Kickoff Meeting

Agenda

Acquired Co. Differences with Acquired Company
Timeline - Phases
Two Key Integration Deliverables
Plans for Allocating Synergy Targets
Expectations of Team Members/Ground Rules
Key Success Factors for Integrations. . .
IMO Office Kickoff Meeting

IMO Office Kickoff Meeting

Agenda

  • Vision For Integration
  • Management Of Integration
  • Integration Governance Model
  • Steering Committee
  • Workstream Leaders
  • High Level Integration Goals
  • The Integration Project
  • Transaction Timeline
  • Charter Example
  • Target Operating Model. . .
IMO M&A Integration Kickoff

IMO M&A Integration Kickoff

Agenda

Goals

  • Strategic Objectives
  • Value Drivers

Governance

  • Structure
  • Meetings

Breakout Teams . . .
Joint IMO Kickoff: Acquirer and Acquired Company

Joint Integration Management Office (IMO) M&A Kickoff Meeting

Understand how we will work together:

  • Review rules of engagement to ensure pre-close compliance with HSR guidelines
  • Review our M&A integration process, structure, roles, and responsibilities
  • Build a solid foundation for ongoing teaming and collaboration …
Cross-Border IMO Kickoff

Cross-Border M&A Integration IMO Team Kickoff

Agenda

Overview of Integration Process
Integration Opportunities and Risks
Key Duplications and Cost Reduction Objectives
General Overview and Key Questions
Business Structure
Synergy Plan
Integration Team Roles and Meeting Schedule. . .

IMO Guidance

10 Key Post-Merger Integration Best Practices

10 Key Post-Merger Integration Best Practices

Follow these 10 post-merger integration best practices to reduce risks and accelerate your integration:

Start Planning Prior to Close

When planning does not start before close, an integration starts more slowly and takes longer.
Post-Merger Integration Planning Prepares You to Improvise

Post-Merger Integration Planning Prepares You to Improvise

Use a two-pronged approach to post-merger integration. On one hand, carefully prepare. On the other, be willing to improvise.

Start out by doing “deep planning.” Anticipate as best you can and develop your very best integration roadmap...
The Magnetic Pull of Momentum During Post-Merger Integration

The Magnetic Pull of Momentum in Post-Merger Integration

Just as people tend to disconnect emotionally when their organization stalls or loses ground, they close ranks and commit themselves more fully when the organization is “on a roll.”

You must mobilize your people. Outlaw inertia. Start now to change the cadence in your work group, and create a sense of urgency. Get the organization moving at a faster clip. Push for daily progress. Post results. Celebrate accomplishments, then “raise the bar.”
Merger Integration Management Process

Merger Integration Management Process

Objectives of Weekly Merger Integration Management Process

  • Add speed and efficiency to integration planning
  • Ensure that we make the most of all meetings and interactions
  • Proactively manage the identification and escalation of issues and decisions
  • Set the pace for M&A integration planning
M&A Integration RACI Matrix

Post-Merger Integration RACI Matrix

  Steering Com. IMO Funct. Teams Synergy Owners Accounting
Drives development of the overall integration plan including all the integration projects, communication plans, and achievement of synergy benefits       I  R/A    C     C  
Post-Merger Integration Phases

Post-Merger Integration Phases

1. High Level Planning

Objectives:

  • Finalize all core integration planning requirements & direction

Inputs:

  • Deal thesis, target operating model, diligence information, executive input...
M&A Integration Playbook for Integration Managers

M&A Integration Playbook for Integration Managers

The Playbook defines the role and priorities of Integration Managers and provides tools to help them execute their responsibilities.

The Integration Manager is primarily responsible for leading the Integration Management Office (IMO) and coordinating the activities of the integration. This person should be employed by the acquiring company and appointed at least two months prior to close. . .
3 Key Questions the (IMO) Integration Management Office Should be Able to Answer

3 Key Questions the (IMO) Integration Management Office Should be Able to Answer

  1. What are the basic roles/responsibilities associated with programs and projects?
  2. What are the deliverables for ...

 
The Role of M&A Integration Manager

The Role of M&A Integration Manager

The role of an M&A Integration Manager is to lead the Integration Management Office as it coordinates work across teams, manages cross-functional dependencies, conducts regular integration team meetings, tracks progress, reports results, and documents the lessons learned from the integration. . .
The Post M&A Integration Process

The Post M&A Integration Process

High-Level Planning defines the future state.

Detailed Planning defines the plans to reach the future state.

Execution implements the plans to reach the future state...
Post-Merger Integration Issues, Problems, and Challenges

The 10 Causes of Post-Merger Integration Problems and Issues

The 10 root causes of post-merger integration problems that exacerbate issues and make acquisitions much more challenging.

IMO Tools

how to select m-a integration manager

How to Select an M&A Integration Manager

The role of Integration Manager (IM) in M&A is a challenging but fascinating job. It calls for a versatile, multiskilled person who possesses executive muscle and strong leadership ability ...

 
Integration Management Office IMO Charter

Integration Management Office (IMO) Charter

Key Objectives and Scope Defined for IMO 

  • Define governance model & structure
  • Data harvesting process
  • Culture & communication planning
  • Drive key pre-planning workstreams …

Mini-Presentations

How to Address The Post-Merger Integration Challenges

How to Address Post-Merger Integration Challenges

How do you capture synergies while doing the integration work without negatively impacting business operations while relying on the same people who are busy in their day jobs?
The Usual Post-Merger Integration Costs

The Usual Post-Merger Integration Costs

Post-merger integration costs typically range from 3% to 10% of a deal’s value. The actual  percentage depends on the scope of the integration, the operating differences between the merging entities, the number of changes that will occur, and the magnitude of those changes.

These are many of the most typical types of post-merger integration costs...
 
11 Typical Post-Merger Risks

The Most Common Post-Merger Risks

Risk #1: Cultural Conflict: Major cultural differences between merging entities can easily lead to friction and misunderstandings that negatively impact employee morale, productivity, and talent retention...

 
5 Types of Post-Merger Integration

5 Types of Post-Merger Integration

The rationale for a deal helps determine the type of post-merger integration. All post-merger integrations are one or more (a combination) of these five types:

Best of Both
Additive from both sides

Transformation ...