Mergers & Acquisitions Integration Handbook, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER 7Establishing an Integration Management Office

In this chapter, you will learn:

• The rationale for setting up an IMO (Integration Management Office)
• Varying 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, as it provides a “home base” for all integration activities and can also be set up as a unique cost center to capture integration-related expenses.

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

• Drives development of overall integration plan including all the integration projects, functional workstreams, communications plan, status reporting, and synergy tracking and can also be the sponsor for special projects like culture assessments, change management programs, and other initiatives associated with a transaction and/or a transformation project(s)
• Defines and manages your integration processes including functional work plan development, cross-functional collaborations, issue management, decision escalations, risk remediation plans, and executive status and board updates
• Manages stakeholder communication among IMO participants and other constituents like target company personnel, media, industry contacts, customers, etc.
• Drives the pace of integration and manages the integration calendar and key ...