This week we talk about the wave of forced mergers in the US. Paul Siegenthaler, Abhay Pande and I talk about the drivers for the current transactions, what are the implications from an integration perspective, and what the future holds. As ever, we’d love to hear from you. Please let us know your thoughts, comments and ideas. https://theagilegorilla.com/podcast/2023/5/19/8-buying-out-the-banks
The latest podcast in the Agile Gorilla Collective series. This week Abhay, David and I talk about the dynamics of Deepmind and Google Brain coming together, what the key challenges for Demis Hassabis and Jeff Dean are in terms of leadership and change management, the competitor landscape and the potential pace of change required, It is a fascinating transaction, not only because of the sudden awareness through ChatGPT of the […]
Two interesting tales of failure this week. The first, the sell off of Worldpay from FIS following a disastrous integration has that rare commodity in any form of transformation programme, a counter factual with the acquisition of First Data by FISERV happening at the same time with similar market condition..but a dramatically different result. The second following our earlier podcast on Project Everest is a little summary on the break […]
The latest in our series of Agile Gorilla Collective podcasts. This time we talk about the extraordinary phenomenon of Broadcom, global software business which is hitting the headlines with a bid for VMWare. We talk about Hock Tan, the Malaysian American CEO and founder, his style of leadership and approach to acquisition and integration, the combination of a Warren Buffet and PE type approach to doing deals, and the future […]
As part of the new podcast series from the Agile Gorilla Collective, David Boyd, Abhay Pande, Paul Siegenthaler (you can find their bios here https://theagilegorilla.com/collective – they are an impressive bunch of people!) and I talk through the separation of the EY consulting business as much discussed and written about over the past few months. We address both the operational implications, the impact on clients and how to address the human […]
As part of our Agile Gorilla Collective initiative, we’ve launched a set of podcasts which comment on some of the analysis around deals in the market place as they emerge. Over the following weeks and months, you’ll hear a series of expert pre and post merger integration specialists providing commentary and insight on the deals of the day. The first is based on an article in the FT from just […]
Has the idea of growth through M&A finally been proven to be fundamentally bust or can we start to differentiate between those that are likely to fail and those that might succeed? Are there indicators which you might look for to identify potential success? I’ve been thinking about what might feature in those indicators….here’s my list: Personal track record of complex transformation (ideally in remedial situations) within the leadership and […]
I’m sharing a podcast of a discussion with Jon Hazan of the Development Society. We talk about change, we define corporate transformation and we look at how organisations success and failure really challenges individuals in terms of their own career path. https://www.buzzsprout.com/1783472/9937001-improvement-ep-8-achieving-meaningful-organisational-transformation Have a listen and tell me what you think.
It feels totally futile to capture the nature of this past year in a few short paragraphs. For all of us, whether in education, full time, part time or self employment, unemployment or retirement, the changes we’ve experienced in such a short time are extraordinary and life changing. It is a testament to our resilience that we emerge and are ready ‘to go again’! In my world of transformation and […]
Some of you will have heard a series of podcasts we did with Asian Leaders a couple of year ago. Last week Abhay and I had a chance to talk about my new book, ‘Save the Silver Bullet’. We addressed context, where the book sits in terms of the literature around change and transformation, and what lessons might be learnt for organisations embarking on a transformation journey. We also talked […]
Dear all, thanks for all your support over the past few weeks. I have had some wonderful comments from some people I respect and admire which is really appreciated. A few to share with you. “With Save the Silver Bullet Ben de Haldevang has written a fantastically readable guide to grapple with transformation, full of eye-opening examples of transformation done well (and badly) by others.” Bruce Daisley, very successful author […]
A short note to let you know it’s finally been published. You can find the hard copy through the link below. As ever, I’m excited to hear your comments, thoughts, experiences. All the best
After about 3 years and over 140 hours of interviews, edits, moments of desperation, and some incredible stories, it’s almost there. I expect to publish my book on transformation “save the silver bullet…small steps are the secret to successful transformation” in the next month. Those of you who have contributed and supported me, heartfelt thanks. Is it perfect? No! Does it say everything I would want to say on the […]
Afternoon all, please see the start of a very big and hairy project (forgive the gorilla reference). Attached is a link to an extract from the introduction to my ‘work in progress’, a book based on a 100 interviews with programme directors around the world on their experience of success and failure. I’m in the middle of writing mode and making good progress and thought I’d share the odd extract […]
Dear all, please see attached link to our latest piece…would appreciate any thoughts, comments as ever. https://link.medium.com/AhXUOg5BwZ
Dear followers / loyal readers / friends and family, below a new piece after a little break over the summer. Same rules apply, please comment, criticise etc as you wish. All the best https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ebb-flow-transaction-david-boyd
Latest opinion piece from The Agile Gorilla for your thoughts, ideas and critique. As with much of what we write, how your personal experiences correspond / or jar with this approach is where the real value sits. Look forward to hearing from you. All the best Ben https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-you-target-need-own-post-deal-plans-acquirer-david-boyd/
Have a listen…it’s a reasonably coherent description of who we are at Agile Gorilla and what we’re trying to do…would welcome your comments as always. http://dealroom.libsyn.com/ben-de-haldevang-and-david-boyd-founding-partners-of-agile-gorilla-s3e4
The final chapter (for now!) in our series on the unwritten rules of post acquisition integration. We’ve explored programme structures, leadership teams and the approach to acquired leaders and the fable of the business case! This last one is focused on the old favourite. We at Agile Gorilla think that this is as much to do with external consultants being able to understand cost line items much more easily than […]
All that is written cannot be changed…the tablets of stone of the business case! In what other walk of life can you imagine a situation where the thoughts, analysis and assumptions of one person (or perhaps a small team), drawn up before any access to the subject matter was granted and therefore based entirely on an ‘out to in’ perspective are entirely inviolate? …all because this was the rationale presented […]
Inarticulate ramblings of a management consultant 