Rocky Standifer

[sayit]When it comes to mergers and acquisitions, there are two realities: There’s the fantasy about how perfect everything is going to be, and then there’s how it actually turns out. It’s natural for business leaders to focus on the benefits of an M&A deal and how it will lead to new efficiencies and synergies. And,…

As anyone who’s undergone the merger and acquisition process can attest, there’s more to M&A than just carefully checking over each organization’s books. Success requires all parties to integrate their staffs, company cultures and assets effectively. This includes their IT environments, which are too often overlooked — especially during the early stages of a deal.…

From an IT perspective, mergers and acquisitions activity often falls somewhere between a headache and a nightmare. The problems may begin with internal discussions and external negotiations, which typically involve the CEO and CFO. In many cases, the CIO and other IT leaders aren't brought in until the deal is done. This tendency is a…