Creating A Full M&A Integration Framework

Woven Solutions is a boutique business process outsourcer (BPO) servicing over 800 clients from 4 UK & 2 overseas (India/South Africa) locations.  Formed through M&A activities of 5 businesses over 18 months, funded by a US Private Equity business through a rollup strategy.

A clearly defined integration approach with supporting materials and plan was required to assist the acquisition strategy and align new businesses to the Woven way - as well as ensuring that any efficiencies and opportunities as part of the due diligence were planned and leveraged.

Challenge

• Design and deliver an integration toolkit that enables activation with minimal customisation, reducing the need to ‘re-invent the wheel’ each time.
• A systemised way to consider and sign off the level of integration, depending on type of acquisition & Woven’s strategic or value creation aims.
• Enable cultural alignment of businesses into Woven Family without loosing the capabilities, and ’boutique’ feel of the acquired business.

Solution

• Developed ‘light', ‘partial’ & ’full’ integration matrix with definitions,  approaches, milestone plans & cost/benefit estimates to support delivery of future integration projects.
• Integration toolkit designed with: detailed project plans; progress reporting; templates & specific tools which would lead on from the Due Diligence activities including legal, finance, compliance, people, brand/proposition.

Outcome

• M&A Integration Framework developed with supporting materials, toolkit & training to be utilised by internal teams for future integrations.
• Group integration programme set up and successful management of the first 5 acquired businesses - aligning them to create Woven.
• Improved the approach, tools & governance in order to speed up time taken to integrate businesses, with the last acquisition being completed in 6 weeks.

“As part of the M&A strategy and plan, the integration of businesses acquired was crucial.  We needed to balance to success of the integration (time, cost, outcomes) creating the growing Woven family and not loose spirit and essence of the business we bought. This was done very effectively, using the experience of Custerian colleagues with Woven colleagues - making it easier and more effective every time!” Nicola Collister, COO, Woven Solutions Group