Leading M&A Value

The value capture of M&A relies on keeping the affected people engaged, aligned and productive. We can help you to:

  • Keep key people retained
  • Align leadership
  • Accelerate integration
  • Retain Customers

And hence contribute to maximising deal value.

 

Facing Reality: Understanding the Issues

“Why do M&A deals have such a high rate of failure? Either poor initial fit, due to strategic misalignment or cultural mismatch, or unforeseen disruptions” (Cronqvist, H. & Pely, D-J.  2026)

According to research, “M & A failure rate is very high; averaging about 50%… The most mentioned problem in the integration stage has to do with the human factor (the employees-coping with cultural differences, politics, lack of effective communication, etc).” (Siddiqui, M. & Farooq, A. 2019)

According to research, M&As can ‘fail’ and/or lose value due to cultures/strategy clashing, leadership, staff, HR and planning issues. This often leads to a loss of flow and fluidity, as well as a lack of ownership and accountability.

You will find that different leadership and staff issues arise at different stages of the transition:

  • Consultation Phase
    • Uncertainty, fear and frustration
    • Leadership and talent retention
    • Lack of (or inconsistent) communication, direction and messaging
  • Change Phase
    • Frustration and learned helplessness (e.g. due to systems incompatibility)
    • Depression in performance and engagement
    • Change fatigue and ‘benefits clash’
  • Reintegration Phase
    • Culture clash: tribalism, conflict, us vs them
    • Low morale and ‘survivor’ guilt
    • Confused identity and loyalty

Acquisitions fail when key people disengage, leave or stop collaborating. Our programmes help protect the human capital that underpins deal value.

 

Imaginarium Solutions: How can we help?

Consultation
 Helping leaders to:

  • Manage expectations, engagement and empowerment
  • Handling and communicating through uncertainty and ambiguity
  • Clarifying accountability and ownership
  • Understanding the psychological process of M&A
  • Drive performance when faced with the unknown
  • Deal with lack of clarity, direction and information

Helping Staff to to maintain resilience through uncertainty
Change Leadership
 Helping leaders to:

  • Reduce the risk of losing high-performing employees during transition.
  • Utilise project tools to get a grip, plan and stay on top
  • Engage their people through change
  • Manage reality AND manage perception
  • Avoid the productivity dip commonly experienced during major organisational change, focussing on purposeful priorities
  • Deliver effective communication and training

Helping Staff to to maintain engagement and resilience through the change
Reintegration
 Helping leaders to:

  • Reduce management turnover and accelerate integration of acquired teams
  • Help newly combined teams align faster around objectives, decision-making and accountability
  • Support management teams in achieving integration and synergy targets faster.
  • Translate culture into behaviour to drive successful integration
  • Turn difference and conflict into innovation
  • Break down tribalism and embrace the new reality

Helping Staff to adapt and embrace the new culture, identity and values

Every situation is different, and through discussion, we will tailor our approach for maximum effect.

 

Why Imaginarium?

Over the past 30 years, we have supported leaders and staff through times of M&A, seeing the impact first hand of acquisitions that have gone well and badly. We have strong track record for understanding the psychological costs of poor leadership and how to turn this around.

For example we have worked (and are working with):

  • Oxford Pharma sold to Klick Health (2026)
  • Ultra sold to Airbus Defence and Space (2026)
  • RDP sold to Affinia (2026)
  • Berry Gardens sold to Driscoll’s (2022)
  • Signature bought Sunrise (2021)
  • Haden Young sold to Balfour Beatty (2009)
  • Insys sold to Lockheed Martin (2005)
  • IFR Systems sold to Aeroflex (2002)
  • And local authorities facing the LGR and unitary (merger) processes (e.g. Bedfordshire 2009, Sussex 2026)

 

Contact us for further details of how we can help maintain and protect deal value.

 

Our partnership with Imaginarium has had a real and lasting impact. Managers are more confident in leading their teams and handling people matters. What really stands out is how well Imaginarium gets to know us. They take the time to understand our culture, our goals, and the challenges our people face day to day.

Sam Williams
Senior HR Business Partner
Ultra

We’re privileged to partner with Joe to empower and uplift our amazing team. His exceptional talent for engaging individuals and harnessing their collective power is truly remarkable. With his guidance, we’re enhancing our firm and our ability to serve our clients better than ever before.

If you’re looking to elevate your team’s performance and maximise your firm’s potential, we wholeheartedly endorse Joe Cheal and Imaginarium Learning & Development. You won’t be disappointed!

Matthew Tyson
Managing Director
Richard Place Dobson

Flexible and pragmatic. Able to adapt very well to different business needs and delegate types. One of a very small number of preferred partners who we choose to work with.

Roy Bowdler
Training Manager
Haden Young

Refs

Cronqvist, H & Pely, D-J (2026) “Why mergers fail and how to spot trouble early”, MIT Sloan Management Review, Spring 2026

Siddiqui, M. & Farooq, A (2019) “Mergers and Acquisitions: Failures and causes, an evidence-based approach” International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research and Innovations Vol. 7, Issue 2, pp 147-152, April – June 2019