post-merger-integration

name: post-merger-integration description: > Post-merger integration (PMI) planning and execution. USE THIS SKILL when the user asks about integration planning, Day 1 readiness, 100-day plan, synergy tracking, synergy realization, integration management office, IMO, cultural integration, merger integration workstreams, integration risk, communication plan for an acquisition, post-close integration, or how to capture deal synergies. Also trigger when asked about employee retention post-acquisition, customer communication after a merger, or IT systems integration.

Post-Merger Integration (PMI) Planning

Required Inputs

• Transaction Context: Buyer, target, deal rationale, and announced synergy targets.
• Deal Thesis and Synergy Assumptions: Revenue synergies, cost synergies, and one-time integration costs from the deal model.
• Timeline: Expected close date, Day 1 target, and 100-day plan deadline.
• Organization Scale: Combined headcount, number of locations, and geographic spread.
• Integration Philosophy: Full integration, partial integration (keep brand/operations separate), or holding company model.

Execution Steps

1. Integration Management Office (IMO) Design

The IMO is the command center for all integration activity. Establish before Day 1.

IMO Structure

Governance Cadence

2. Day 1 Readiness Checklist

Day 1 is the first business day after legal close. The following must be ready:

Every item must have a named owner and a binary ready/not-ready status. Anything not-ready on Day 1 needs an immediate workaround and a fix date.

3. 100-Day Plan

The first 100 days set the trajectory. Organize into three phases:

Phase 1: Stabilize (Days 1-30)

Phase 2: Integrate (Days 31-70)

Phase 3: Accelerate (Days 71-100)

4. Synergy Tracking Framework

Synergy Classification and Probability Weighting

Rule of thumb: Cost synergies are 70-80% achievable; revenue synergies are 30-50% achievable. Apply probability weights rigorously.

Synergy Realization Dashboard

Track actuals vs. plan at 12, 24, and 36 months:

The critical metric is % of deal value realized through synergies at 12/24/36 months. Calculate as:

% Deal Value Realized = Cumulative Net Synergies / Total Premium Paid over Standalone Value

Target: 50% at 12 months, 80% at 24 months, 100%+ at 36 months.

5. Workstream Design

Each workstream produces its own integration plan. The following defines scope and key deliverables:

6. Cultural Integration Assessment

Culture clashes are the #1 reason integrations fail. Assess systematically:

Cultural Dimension Comparison

Scoring: Gap of 1-2 = Low risk (minor adjustment). Gap of 3 = Medium risk (active management required). Gap of 4-5 = High risk (dedicated cultural change program).

If any dimension scores 4-5, launch a dedicated cultural integration workstream with executive sponsorship.

7. Integration Risk Register

Score = Likelihood x Impact. Risks scoring >15 require a mitigation plan reviewed by the Steering Committee.

8. Communication Plan

Principles: Communicate early, communicate often, communicate consistently across all channels. Never let employees learn news from external sources.

Output Template

## Post-Merger Integration Plan: [Acquirer] + [Target]

**Date**: [Date] | **Expected Close**: [Date] | **Day 1 Target**: [Date]

### Integration Philosophy
[Full integration / Partial integration / Holding company — and rationale]

### Integration Management Office
| Role | Name | Background |
|---|---|---|
| Integration Leader | | |
| Workstream Leads | | |
| Synergy Office Lead | | |
| Communications Lead | | |

### Governance Cadence
[Meeting schedule per governance framework above]

### Day 1 Readiness
[Complete checklist with owner and status for every item]

### 100-Day Plan
#### Phase 1: Stabilize (Days 1-30)
[Priorities, actions, and success metrics]

#### Phase 2: Integrate (Days 31-70)
[Priorities, actions, and success metrics]

#### Phase 3: Accelerate (Days 71-100)
[Priorities, actions, and success metrics]

### Synergy Plan
#### Synergy Summary
| Type | Gross ($M) | Probability-Weighted ($M) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost synergies | | | |
| Revenue synergies | | | |
| Integration costs | | | |
| **Net synergies** | | | |

#### Synergy Realization Targets
| Metric | 12 Months | 24 Months | 36 Months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumulative net synergies ($M) | | | |
| % of deal premium recovered | | | |

### Workstream Plans
[Summary table with scope, key deliverables, and critical decisions per workstream]

### Cultural Integration Assessment
[Dimension comparison table with gap scores and mitigations]

### Risk Register
[Top 10 risks with scores, mitigations, and owners]

### Communication Plan
[Stakeholder matrix with channel and timing for each audience]

### Key Milestones
| Milestone | Target Date | Owner | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close | | | |
| Day 1 | | | |
| Org design finalized | | | |
| First synergy report | | | |
| 100-day review | | | |
| Full integration complete | | | |

Quality Checks

• Integration Management Office defined with named roles and clear reporting lines.
• Day 1 readiness checklist is complete with every item assigned to a named owner and marked ready/not-ready.
• 100-day plan organized into three distinct phases (Stabilize, Integrate, Accelerate) with measurable success metrics per phase.
• Synergies classified by type (cost vs. revenue), probability-weighted (not using unweighted gross numbers), and assigned to a realization timeline.
• Synergy realization tracked as a percentage of deal premium at 12, 24, and 36 months.
• All six workstreams (Finance, IT, HR, Operations, Sales, Legal) have defined scope and deliverables.
• Cultural integration assessment performed with gap scoring across at least 5 dimensions.
• Risk register includes at least 8 integration-specific risks with likelihood, impact, score, and mitigation.
• Communication plan covers all stakeholder groups (employees, customers, suppliers, investors, regulators) with specific timing and channels.
• No stakeholder group learns about integration changes from external sources before internal communication.
• Quick wins identified for the first 30 days to build integration momentum.
• Governance cadence defined with specific meeting frequency, attendees, and purpose.