MERGER INTEGRATION SUPPORT
Australia + USA
CLIENT
International Resource Companies
OBJECTIVE
Xenco was engaged to lead integration planning and execution following the strategic merger announcement between publicly listed international resource companies. With operations and projects spanning Australia, Canada, Africa and the United States; the objective was to define clear deliverables, timelines, and accountabilities, while navigating regulatory complexities and geographically dispersed teams.
THE CHALLENGES
The client was navigating a complex international merger, facing several integration-related challenges:
- Co-ordinating compliance across Australian and US regulatory environments required careful alignment with the standards of the ASX and NASDAQ to support a dual listing.
- Limited pre-existing relationships between teams made early collaboration and trust-building essential.
- Divergent organisational structures and communication styles led to needing to align structures and communication practices.
- Time-zone and regional differences complicated coordination and threatened to disrupt day-to-day operations.
APPROACH
Xenco adopted a structured, collaborative, and outcome-focused approach to ensure the successful integration of two geographically and operationally distinct organisations. Over a 12-week engagement, we coordinated with more than 30 leaders from both organisations, enabling over 150 hours of direct contact time with key personnel to drive alignment and execution.
Our intervention was structured into five key focus areas:
- Central Project Management Office (PMO) Establishment
- Structured Planning Workshops
- Decision-Making Frameworks
- Transparent Reporting and Communication
- Capability Augmentation
OUR RESULT
Xenco’s structured and collaborative integration approach delivered measurable outcomes while maintaining business continuity throughout the merger.
Key outcomes included:
- The planning process validated an estimated $15M–$20M USD in annual cost savings and operational synergies, directly attributable to the integration.
- All 14 workstreams progressed according to agreed timelines, with over 650 planned activities executed without disruption to day-to-day operations.
- 50 risks were proactively mitigated, reducing the likelihood of post-merger disruption.
- Cross-border teams aligned on governance, communication, and objectives, enabling a smooth transition to a unified organisation.
- Real-time dashboards, decision logs, and structured reporting provided leadership with confidence in progress and clarity on critical issues.
- Neutral facilitation built early trust and bridged cultural and operational differences between Australia, Canada, and the United States.
- Targeted internal communications kept employees informed and engaged, supporting long-term cultural alignment.
