For an industrial products supplier, we were responsible for managing the entire process of a business acquisition on behalf of the purchaser. This included overseeing all aspects of the acquisition, such as due diligence, risk assessment, and project governance. Our goal was to ensure that the acquisition was completed successfully, within the given timeframe, and with a focus on achieving a win-win outcome for both the buyer and seller.
We faced several challenges during the project management of a business acquisition for our client, an industrial products supplier. The seller had limited experience in acquisitions, and trust was initially low between the seller and buyer due to legacy issues. Additionally, key managers from the buyer had to take a leave of absence during the project, and the seller was not initially aware of key statutory requirements they had overlooked. Furthermore, the potential deal leaked early, posing employee and competitive risks.
We successfully completed the business acquisition project on time and below the budgeted cost. Both the seller and the purchaser were highly satisfied with the outcome and the process, despite the initial trust issues and challenges with the seller’s lack of experience in acquisitions. We proactively addressed potential deal-breaking risks and significantly improved protocols and procedures during the project. All key staff were retained post acquisition, and aggressive competitor approaches to the seller’s clients were successfully managed, leading to the retention of all key clients and the acquisition of new ones.
