Mergers & Acquisitions Integration Handbook: Helping Companies Realize The Full Value of Acquisitions

CHAPTER 7

Establishing an Integration Management Office

In this chapter, you will learn the following:

• The rationale for setting up an IMO.
• Various options for support and structure for your IMO.
• How to secure functional resources for your integration.
• How to establish an integration charter and a governance approach for your integration.

Establishing an IMO plan for the purposes of managing integration is highly recommended. It provides a home base for all integration activities and can be set up as a unique cost center to capture integration-related expenses.

In essence, an IMO is a temporary project management office that does the following:

• Drives the development of the overall integration plan, including all of the integration projects, communications plan, and achievements of synergy benefits.
• Defines and manages your integration processes, including functional work-plan reviews, cross-functional collaborations, issue management plans, and executive status updates.
• Manages stakeholder communication, including lists of company executives, functional resource owners, and acquired company management roles.
• Drives the pace of integration.
• Tracks continual improvements, such as measuring and surveying various areas and incorporating feedback into updated integration processes and tools.

The IMO should be established at least 60 days before day one of the integration to allow time for integration-activity scoping, staffing, and securing a physical space to house integration ...