The purpose of the Post-Acquisition IT Project Review is to assess the M&A IT experience whilst it is still fresh in people’s minds and provide an independent and objective assessment and capture the key lessons learned. The post-acquisition assessment process typically considers the following aspects:

• Original Objectives ( synergies, benefits, costs, risks, sponsorship, project management)
• Results Achieved (synergies, benefits, costs, risks and how where these achieved))
• Lessons Learned (what worked, what didn’t and why, critical success factors)
• Best Practices (repeatable processes and techniques)

The above process, which typically takes 1-2 weeks in duration, is designed to review the assumptions made during the due diligence phase and document the main results achieved against the original objectives. Examples of the type of questions that you would expect in this process are:

• Were the original IT project’s objectives met? If so, how?
• What were the synergies and how were these achieved? What were the costs?
• What were the main risks/issues faced in the project and how were they overcome?
• What worked, what didn’t and why?

A recent example:

• UK Engineering Group - Carried out an M&A IT Project review for an Italian acquisition of a small size group (€10 million) with 200 staff. The exercise included results against original objectives, in terms of synergies and costs, and an assessment of the risks undertaken as a result of a poorly executed acquisition. As a result of this review the company uses a best practice approach to future acquisitions.

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