The situation
Northfield, a fast-growing enterprise software company, acquired its largest competitor in an all-cash deal. Within weeks of close, overlapping sales teams were competing for the same accounts, two product roadmaps were pulling engineering in opposite directions, and three finance systems made it impossible to see true performance. The board had promised investors $120m of run-rate synergies within eighteen months.
What we did
- 01
A partner-led integration office
We stood up an integration office reporting directly to the CEO, with a single integrated plan, clear owners, and a weekly decision forum.
- 02
A client-retention war room
Every top-50 account was assigned a named executive sponsor, with a retention plan and weekly risk review in the first 100 days.
- 03
One operating model
We designed the combined organization, decision rights, and product roadmap, and sequenced the systems consolidation behind it.
- 04
Board-grade reporting
A synergy tracking model gave the board a single, audited view of progress against the deal thesis every month.
The impact
Northfield captured $140m of run-rate synergies in the first year, ahead of its eighteen-month commitment, while retaining every one of its top-50 client accounts. The integration closed four and a half months ahead of plan, and the combined business has since grown faster than either company did on its own.
“Mandate brought a level of candor our board had not heard from an advisor before. They told us what we needed to hear, then stayed to help us act on it.”
Claire CarterChief Executive, NorthfieldFacing a similar decision?
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