M&A technology capability, from deal completion to a single operating estate

Technology due diligence, Day One readiness and post-deal integration delivered so the synergy case in the model survives contact with two real IT estates.

The problem we are usually brought in to solve

Technology is usually where deal value is won or quietly lost. The commercial model assumes synergies that depend on merging systems, consolidating licences and combining teams, yet the work to achieve that is rarely scoped before completion.

After Day One the practical questions arrive at once: which finance system survives, how staff get access, what happens to two overlapping ERP estates, and who owns the decision when both sides believe their platform is the better one.

Left to run on their own, integrations stall in parallel operation. Both estates stay live, both cost bases remain, and the synergy target moves quarter by quarter until it stops being reported.

Who this is for

Acquirers running a buy-and-build strategy across multiple deals
Private equity portfolio companies integrating bolt-on acquisitions
Businesses preparing for a carve-out, divestment or separation
Leadership teams needing technology due diligence before committing
Groups operating several inherited estates that were never consolidated

How we approach it

We look at the estate, the synergy case and the operating model together, because a target that depends on a system consolidation nobody has costed is not really a target. That produces an integration plan tied to the value it is supposed to release.

Delivery is sequenced around Day One obligations first, then the consolidation work that actually releases cost. Decisions get named owners on both sides, so platform choices are made once rather than relitigated.

Typical projects we deliver

Representative engagement types. Scope is always shaped around the programme and the capability already in place.

Technology due diligence

An independent view of the target estate, its risks, its debt and the true cost of integrating it.

Day One readiness and separation

Access, identity, email and core services working from the first day of the new entity.

Post-merger systems consolidation

Two overlapping estates reduced to one, with a decision record behind each platform choice.

Carve-out and divestment support

Untangling shared systems, data and licences so a business can operate independently.

Application and licence rationalisation

Duplicate tooling identified and retired, with the savings attributed and tracked.

Integration programme leadership

Named ownership across both organisations for the duration of the integration.

Capabilities

Technology due diligence and estate assessment
Integration planning and synergy validation
Day One readiness and cutover planning
Identity, access and email migration
Application and infrastructure consolidation

Data migration and reconciliation
Licence and contract rationalisation
Carve-out and separation delivery
Integration programme and TSA management

Platforms and technologies we work across

Practical working experience across these environments. We are not a reseller for any of them, so platform recommendations stay independent.

Microsoft 365Microsoft Entra IDAzureAWSMicrosoft Dynamics 365SAPNetSuiteSalesforceServiceNow

What changes as a result

Synergy targets are tested against the estate before they are committed
Day One obligations are met without emergency workarounds
Platform decisions are made once and recorded
Duplicate licences and contracts are retired rather than renewed

Parallel running has a planned end date rather than an open one
The next acquisition follows a repeatable integration playbook
Integration cost and benefit are reported against the deal model

How we can deliver it

Delivered through whichever model fits the programme. Compare all delivery models

Statement of Work (SOW) Delivery

A defined diligence, Day One or consolidation phase with agreed milestones and acceptance criteria.

Squad Mobilisation

A full integration team spanning infrastructure, applications, data and programme management.

Technical Advisory

Due diligence, synergy validation and integration strategy.

Contract Specialists

Targeted migration, infrastructure or integration capacity for a deal phase.

Fractional & Part-Time Talent

A part-time integration lead across a deal pipeline where a permanent appointment is not yet warranted.

Frequently asked questions

Can you get involved before the deal completes?

Yes, and it is usually cheaper to. Technology due diligence before completion tells you what integration will genuinely cost and whether the synergy case holds, which is far harder to renegotiate afterwards.

We have several acquisitions to integrate. Should they run in sequence?

Not by default. Sequential integration often means paying for the same work repeatedly and running duplicate estates for longer. Where deals overlap, a shared target platform and a repeatable playbook usually cost less than handling one deal at a time.

Do you provide individual specialists or whole teams?

Both. Some deals need one integration lead alongside the internal team; others need a full programme squad working across both organisations. The delivery models above set out how each is structured and governed.

Who decides when both sides prefer their own system?

That has to be settled by named owners against stated criteria, not by whoever holds out longest. We put the cost, risk and fit in front of the decision makers, and we record what was decided so it does not get reopened later.