M&A: Strategy & readiness

Driving growth is becoming harder to achieve. Increasingly, deals serve as strategic tools for capturing inorganic growth. Leaders of high-performing organizations recognize preparation is essential for driving deal value.
Go to main page Due diligence Planning and integration Private equity advisory

Disruption and change are here to stay. Intense competition, ever-increasing shareholder expectations and digital innovations are driving leaders to rethink strategy. The result is an urgent need to adapt that in turn fuels increased inorganic transformation through deals.

At the same time, increasing complexity and cross-border dynamics make it difficult to realize value in M&A strategies. Assessing internal capabilities and preparing well in advance of inking any deals is critical to success.

Merger & acquisition strategy

Whether you’re a serial acquirer looking to refine your current M&A processes or you’re new to M&A and want to set up a highly effective deal team, our advisors can help. We’ll put you on the path to developing a framework with the structure, tools and processes for success — even before you consider a specific deal.

The Mercer difference to successful strategies for M&A

Success requires a proven process and dedicated resources to create and capture the maximum value. Experience matters.

We are deal experts who understand how to mitigate risks, maximize value and moderate costs to create sustainable value that encompasses all human capital levers. Our deal experience and subject matter expertise, combined with battle-tested results from the field differentiates us.

Mercer’s M&A readiness assessment process quickly identified the most easily achievable solutions, enabling HR to immediately partner with the business and improve how we meet deal challenges. Mercer helped us to develop a longer-term plan for upgrading our tools, processes and overall M&A capabilities.
SVP, Head of Mergers & Acquisitions, Fortune 500 company

Our expertise

  • Workforce strategy and analytics

    Determine critical roles and the talent needed to drive success. Formulate workforce strategies to address any gaps and risks.

  • Operating model

    Develop your future strategy and operating model, including organization design, governance and decision rights.

  • Talent assessment, selection and onboarding

    Maximize deal success by assessing talent, identifying and selecting leaders, and retaining critical employees.

  • Change management and communications

    Conduct change management planning and integration focused on moving key stakeholders from both entities.

  • Culture

    Identify cultural risks to deal objectives, and build a comprehensive integration strategy and operating environment.

  • HR technologies

    Create the needed HR delivery platform to support strategic objectives.

  • Global benefits and policies

    Understand, align and optimize benefits programs in more than 150 countries and organizations of all sizes.

  • Rewards

    Determine whether executive, sales and broad-based incentives align with achievement of synergies.

  • Retirement

    Understand, align and optimize pension plans and associated risk globally.
Related solutions

Speak to a Mercer consultant