M&A Consulting Services

Evaluate and execute upon successful inorganic growth opportunities that add value, generate returns, and achieve ambitious business goals.

M&A is high risk, high reward for any organization and CREO’s proven methodology and expertise minimizes risk and leads to successful outcomes. We formed a partnership with Midaxo, a solution designed specifically for M&A, which creates one centralized platform with full transparency. Midaxo stores best practice playbooks, tracks and reports progress and generates powerful analytics for real-time collaboration and increased alignment.

How We Help Clients

  • Due Diligence Management
  • Post-Merger Integration
  • Divestitures

Due Diligence Management

We manage a timely and thorough due diligence process that drives alignment and accelerates value realization during integration.

CHALLENGES

High-growth companies often lack the required rigor to conduct a centralized and structured diligence process with needed focus and experience to identify potential pitfalls and develop mitigation strategies. Failed due diligence results in lost time, incomplete or failed integrations, sub-optimal investment returns, and other potential issues that can derail future success.

Our Solutions

Diligence Management Office

We manage the due diligence checklist, synthesize functional assessments, and perform risk analysis with internal and external stakeholders.

REVEAL™ Cultural Assessments

We evaluate cultural nuance and devise plans to meld cultures.

IT Due Diligence and Cybersecurity Assessments

We review and assess IT infrastructure, systems, people, and processes to identify and develop mitigation strategies to address IT risks. 

HIPAA Risk Assessments

We identify risks and vulnerabilities to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of PHI held or processed by the target organization.

Integration Planning

We engineer alignment on future states and develop an integration plan.

Post-Merger Integration

We guide organizations through successful integrations that ensure deal thesis realization and establish competencies for future transactions.

CHALLENGES

Integrations are complex and require significant organizational focus. Shareholders expect results without impacting existing operations. With the stakes high, leadership teams need guidance and expertise to accelerate the integration and deliver on the investment.

Our Solutions

Integration Management Office

We establish and run the Integration Management Office (IMO) with focus on speed and achieving synergies.

Day 1 Planning, Execution and Change Management

We develop and execute Day 1 plans that create a personalized, people-centric approach in communicating the change to employees, customers, and suppliers. We develop and execute the change management plan for successful cultural integration.   

Process and SOP Harmonization

We lead process mapping exercises to eliminate, consolidated, and streamline inconsistent or redundant processes and documents, settling on a single source of truth and a global set of processes.

Go-to-Market Strategy Planning

We facilitate go-to-market strategy sessions incorporating market research, core competencies and company direction to align leadership and generate an executable plan.

Technology Roadmap Development and Integration

We facilitate go-to-market strategy sessions incorporating market research, core competencies and company direction to align leadership and generate an executable plan.

Divestitures

CREO drives transaction speed, efficiency, and workstream expertise to right-size separation activities and allow business leaders to remain focused on building the future.

CHALLENGES

Organizations divest assets to re-focus on their core business, generate capital, address regulatory requirements, and unlock new market value.  But divestitures are time consuming and costly.  The process of separating companies involves skilled analysis, extensive planning, and effective management of tasks, vendors, and risks.  And when operational teams become distracted by these separation activities, the core business suffers.

Our Solutions

Separation Management Office

We facilitate the governance of divestitures, carve-outs, and spin-offs through the Separation Management Office (SMO) to manage cross-functional dependencies, project plans, risks, and issues.

Transition Service Agreements

We develop Transition Service Agreements (TSAs) and establish TSA governance models to accelerate exits and reduce dependency on the seller as a service provider.

Day 2 Planning and Execution

We evaluate and assess global contracts to maintain favorable terms and minimize costs to the buyer and seller.

Contract Management

We evaluate and assess global contracts to maintain favorable terms and minimize costs to the buyer and seller.

Change Management

We develop a holistic change management and communication plan to drive transparency and prepare both organizations for operating effectively post-separation.

Our People

Susan Acker-Walsh

CEO and Co-Founder

Energized by growth and change, Susan has served as a “Jill of All Trades,” holding the titles of Chairwoman, CEO, Chief Executive…

Mike Townley

President and Co-Founder

Mike’s experience ranges from hands-on technical positions across multiple disciplines to management and leadership roles…

Kevin Gribbon

Principal Consultant

Kevin is an experienced technology and operations executive with decades of practical experience across multiple industries…

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