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The challenge of serial acquisition

I wanted to share our latest podcast, an interview with Ian Wakeford of the London Stock Exchange Group. LSEG is a serial acquirer of businesses that operate in the ‘weeds’ of the financial services sector, providing technology based solutions for existing challenges, innovating around product set across the capital markets and developing a truly global reach and capability for investors. LSEG…

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A view from over 20 years of post deal integration

Morning all, I had the opportunity to speak with Jacob Orosz from Morgan & Whitfield on the challenges and opportunities in the world of M&A. We covered a lot of ground! Have a listen and let me know what you think! https://morganandwestfield.com/podcast/an-experts-views-on-effective-post-merger-integration-strategies/

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The chemistry and physics of communications

It is remarkable how bad many organisations are at something which is at the very heart of the human experience. We are all experts in communication, it is an activity which we live and breathe to such an extent that we’re mostly ‘doing’ it unconsciously. And yet, when it comes to our corporate life, there are very few times when the companies we work for, deliver clear, well written messages.…

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What happened in 2023

Our final Agile Gorilla podcast for the year, looking back at the world of M&A in 2023, what happened and what didn’t happen, and a forecast into the market for next year. I hope you enjoy it…many thanks for all your comments, encouragement and support throughout the year. All the best for a wonderful…

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People in project management - what the professional qualifications fail to do!

I wanted to explore a subject which has been close to my heart for more years than I can say. How did we get to a situation where the presumption is that human capital productivity stays constant in periods of intense change? I have spent almost 10 years writing and podcasting in an attempt to provide some insightful commentary based on my personal consulting experience. The temptation is often…

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Customer experience and deals

Abhay Pande, David Boyd, Paul Siegenthaler and I from The Agile Gorilla collective are joined by David Cox, a business transformation professional with a passion for Customer Experience. For over 15 years, David Cox has worked around Europe, South America and the Middle East helping clients drive revenue growth and customer loyalty.. We talk about who owns customer experience in an organisation,…

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The mother of all disruptions

This week our podcast is all about an interesting convergence between: future strategy in the fossil future sector which has a very limited long term future but continues to make great returns for its shareholders; the challenge of current and future employees and how this might have an impact on employment strategy going forward; and lastly the role of government in determining the…

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Essilor / Luxotica - a vertical integration with some twists and turns!

The latest in our series of Agile Gorilla Podcasts where we talk through a deal of interest. In this episode, we talk through the challenges of leadership in a cross border transaction, dealing with the regulators, and where to focus. Let me know what you think! https://theagilegorilla.com/podcast/2023/9/15/12-style-vs-substance-at-essilorluxottica

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Summer reading!

Afternoon all, this week Abhay Pande, David Boyd and I talk about some recommended ‘light’ reading for any aspiring transformation director, CEO, or entrepreneur engaging in the Mergers & Acquisition world. We cover everything from applied strategy to behavioural economics and the challenge of change. Have a read, let us know what you’d include on your list, and give us your…

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Prepare or free form?

Two consulting experiences with unexpected consequences: 1) You turn up at a client’s office usually from the back of a taxi with a colleague who’s been busy on something else, and the cab journey is the only preparation time you have for the meeting. Getting to an agreed agenda is almost the best you can expect from the time available and it’s with some trepidation that you walk into the…

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A merger of convenience

The latest in our Agile Gorilla podcast. This week we talk about the recently announced magic circle merger between Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling. It’s a fascinating transaction and the first in 20 years that connects the magic circle with a large Wall St firm. For anyone running a professional services business, the challenges of highly mobile clients and employees and a very tight…

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Buying a Mittelstand business

Our latest podcast headed up by our local resident expert, Paul Siegenthaler! We discuss the peculiarities of these amazing organisations, the challenges of integration, and the opportunities which they offer. Let me have your thoughts, experiences in this very specific part of the corporate landscape.

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Save the silver bullet - a shameless piece of self promotion!

Please indulge me for a moment as I look back at the last year following the publication of my book, ‘Save the Silver Bullet…The small steps to successful transformation’. It has been an extraordinary time for me with opportunities to speak to global and local organisations, industry bodies and at major conferences on the drivers of successful transformation. I’ve been fortunate enough to spend…

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Buying out the banks - a repeat of 2007/2007 or something new?

This week we talk about the wave of forced mergers in the US. Paul Siegenthaler, Abhay Pande and I talk about the drivers for the current transactions, what are the implications from an integration perspective, and what the future holds. As ever, we’d love to hear from you. Please let us know your thoughts, comments and ideas. https://theagilegorilla.com/podcast/2023/5/19/8-buying-out-the-banks

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Deep thinking about deepMind - a very different type of deal!

The latest podcast in the Agile Gorilla Collective series. This week Abhay, David and I talk about the dynamics of Deepmind and Google Brain coming together, what the key challenges for Demis Hassabis and Jeff Dean are in terms of leadership and change management, the competitor landscape and the potential pace of change required, It is a fascinating transaction, not only because of the sudden…

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Mergers and acquisitions are here to stay

It appears that with the renewed interest in deals in the UK (primarily generated by PE), we are once again embarking on a bit of deal mania. I often think that I’ve dedicated the last 23 years of my career to an activity which is entirely defined by the famous quote about madness…to paraphrase, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Why is this? The reason is…

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Divorce - the failure of two high profile transactions

Two interesting tales of failure this week. The first, the sell off of Worldpay from FIS following a disastrous integration has that rare commodity in any form of transformation programme, a counter factual with the acquisition of First Data by FISERV happening at the same time with similar market condition..but a dramatically different result. The second following our earlier podcast on Project…