Supporting the Board Through Acquisition
Client: Leading Design Firm
Challenge
The client, long established in the UK as a leading design firm and growing internationally, was approached by a foreign business which sought to acquire them.
As a consultancy we had worked closely with the leadership team for over ten years helping them to develop and deliver an ambitious long-term strategic plan for growth.
After careful consideration the Board agreed to the offer and asked forward thinking inc, with our detailed knowledge of the business, for advice on how to handle communication and change management up to and through the acquisition. The right internal positioning would be particularly important to get right.
Approach
STRATEGIC RATIONALE: We listened carefully to the Executive team explain the strategic rationale from their perspective and built up an understanding of the acquirers’ objectives and motivations.
CHALLENGE: Working with the client Board we rehearsed potential questions with regard to the acquisition from internal, partner, customer and media audiences and how the logic stood up to them.
VISION: We helped the client to develop and fine-tune a clearly articulated VISION for the future. This would form the start point for explaining internally and externally what the new combined groups’ long-term ambitions and proposition would be. It had to work on both a rational and emotional level.
CORE LOGIC: We developed a concise ‘core logic’ articulating the strategic thinking for the business and its impact on employees, shareholders and all other stakeholders.
AUDIENCE FRAMEWORKS: We examined the communication needs of eight separate stakeholder audiences and developed a communications framework for each.
COMMUNICATION STRATEGY: Working with the client we developed a communication strategy for each audience and medium for the period leading up to and through the acquisition and its announcement.
ANNOUNCEMENT PRESENTATION: A core presentation for internal audiences was developed and leaders in all key markets rehearsed in its delivery, which was staged simultaneously around the world.
DIRECTORS’ BRIEFING PACK: A briefing pack was compiled for all Directors to prepare them for leading the communications effort and managing the change process.
Summary
We worked closely and collaborated with the leadership group through an important period in their journey as a business, acting as a trusted advisor. Quietly challenging them and helping them to develop their own thinking along the way.
Outcome
A successful acquisition and transition to the firm’s next stage of development as a successful international business.
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“As I am sure you will have seen, the contract exchange happened yesterday morning and all the various announcements were made as we planned. The reaction has been very positive. The plans which we hatched together all worked really well. Many thanks for your excellent advice and assistance which has been greatly appreciated.”
Chairman