For PE Buy-and-Build Strategies
The deal is done. The champagne's been drunk. Now the finance functions need to become one, and this is where the real work starts. Post-acquisition finance integration is one of the highest-risk, highest-value workstreams in any buy-and-build strategy. It's also where I've seen PE-backed companies lose surprising amounts of time, money, and momentum.
I've led post-acquisition finance integrations from the inside, including a multi-year restructuring that delivered a 70% efficiency increase. I know what works, I know what fails, and I know what matters most in the first 100 days. That's when the trajectory gets set.
What We Deliver
Chart of Accounts Harmonisation
Multiple entities means multiple charts of accounts, multiple coding structures, and multiple versions of the truth. I've lost count of the times I've walked into this situation. I design and implement a unified chart of accounts that supports consolidated reporting while preserving the granularity each entity needs. This is the foundation. Everything else depends on getting it right, so I don't rush it.
System Consolidation
Three ERPs don't need to become one ERP. At least not immediately. But they do need to produce one reporting view. I design the consolidation approach, whether that's full system migration, a reporting overlay, or a phased transition, based on what's practical. Not what a software vendor wants to sell you.
Unified Management Reporting
One set of numbers. One board pack. One version of the truth. I build the consolidated reporting framework that lets the PE sponsor see the whole portfolio clearly, while giving entity-level management the operational detail they need. Standardised KPIs, consistent definitions, and reporting that actually tells a story rather than just presenting data.
Team Integration & Operating Model
People are the hardest part of any integration, and I won't pretend otherwise. I design the target operating model for the combined finance function: shared services vs. distributed, centres of excellence, role definitions, and reporting lines. Then I help make it happen, including the difficult conversations about redundancy, redeployment, and capability gaps. Those conversations are never easy, but they're much worse when they're delayed.
The First 100 Days
Post-acquisition integration has a natural rhythm, and the first 100 days set the trajectory:
Days 1-30: Stabilise & Assess
- Complete integration diagnostic across both entities
- Map all financial processes, systems, and data flows
- Identify quick wins and critical risks
- Establish interim reporting to give the PE sponsor visibility immediately
- Begin chart of accounts harmonisation design
Days 31-60: Build the Foundation
- Unified chart of accounts implemented (or migration underway)
- Consolidation reporting framework operational
- Controls harmonisation — one set of standards, consistently applied
- Team operating model designed and communicated
- System consolidation approach agreed and initiated
Days 61-100: Deliver & Embed
- First consolidated board pack delivered
- Unified KPI framework operational
- Team restructuring complete (if required)
- System consolidation on track (or complete for simpler environments)
- Transition plan for ongoing operations
Why This Matters for PE
In a buy-and-build strategy, every month of integration delay erodes the value thesis. Duplicated finance functions mean duplicated costs. Inconsistent reporting means the PE sponsor can't see the combined picture. And weak controls across entities mean risk accumulates quietly until someone finally looks. By then it's usually expensive.
Fast, effective finance integration is a direct value lever:
- Cost synergies realised months earlier
- Reporting quality that supports the next acquisition (or exit)
- Control framework that scales with the portfolio
- Team structure that's efficient and sustainable
Project Pricing
Post-acquisition integration is project-priced with the price depending on:
- Number of entities being integrated
- System complexity (number of ERPs, reporting tools)
- Geographic spread
- Team size and restructuring requirements
The pricing includes the full integration delivery. Not just a plan, but the execution through to a combined, functioning finance operation. You don't get a binder. You get a working finance function.
Planning an acquisition? Get in touch to discuss your integration requirements and how to set up the finance workstream for success from day one.