The first step to M&A is you; An executive´s guide to successful mergers and acquisitions

  • Tomorrow´s Executive series


In this Mercuri Urval article, we argue that the first person a CEO needs to scrutinise closely in order to avoid M&A failure is him- or herself. This article is part of the "Tomorrow´s Executive"–series that bring you insights into what tomorrow´s executive will be like.

M&As can be risky business. Most are considered unsuccessful an many are outright failures that threaten company value and destroy shareholder wealth.

Critical to success is a focus on "people issues", which are often overlooked in the challenging process of uniting two separate entities. So how can a CEO or a leader secure M&A success, while keeping risk to a minimum? Here are some pointers for success:

  • Evaluate yourself first
  • Ensure that communication is clear, transparent and frequent
  • Manage stakeholders with consideration and insight
  • Create a capable integration team
  • Unfold change-management steps in the right order


For more details and a
conclusion to how to execute, read the full article.


  • M&A
  • Merger & Acquisition
  • Assessment