Drapalski Consulting supports scale-ups, SMEs, and their legal advisors
Practical Governance & CFO Office Support
For scale-ups and small to medium-sized companies, mergers and acquisitions are often a defining step in the company’s growth journey. Unlike large corporations, these organizations typically operate with lean CFO offices, limited internal resources, and a strong focus on day-to-day execution.
At the same time, post-merger integration is one of the most critical and underestimated success factors. Without clear governance, financial transparency, and structured program management, expected synergies remain unrealized and operational risks increase.
Drapalski Consulting supports scale-ups, SMEs, and their legal advisors with a governance-driven, CFO-centric post-merger integration approach—pragmatic, scalable, and tailored to smaller organizations.
Typical Company-Specific Challenges
- Limited CFO office capacity and lack of integration experience
- Overly optimistic synergy and growth assumptions
- Insufficient integration governance and unclear decision rights
- Missing financial transparency and integration reporting
- Underestimation of people, culture, and leadership challenges
- High dependency on founders and key individuals
Legal and Industry-Specific Challenges
- Antitrust, competition law, and contractual constraints
- Complex supplier and customer agreements
- Inconsistent financial and master data structures
- Local market and customer requirements
- Conflicts between shareholders, management, and external partners
Core PMI Success Factors
Success Factors for Post-Merger Integration in Smaller Organizations
01
Lean but Effective Governance
A pragmatic governance setup with clear roles, responsibilities, and escalation paths—without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
02
CFO Office Enablement
Strengthening the CFO office with temporary integration leadership, financial steering, and reporting capabilities.
03
Clear Integration Roadmap
A transparent integration plan with realistic priorities, milestones, and dependencies.
04
Early Financial Transparency
Fast setup of integration controlling, cash-flow visibility, and synergy tracking.
05
Risk and Dependency Management
Early identification and active management of financial, legal, and operational risks.
06
Change Management for Small Teams
Targeted change management and communication suited to smaller, closely connected organizations.
How We Work with Small and Medium Law Firms
Innovative Solutions for Modern Challenges
For small and mid-sized law firms, post-merger integration projects often extend beyond pure legal execution. Clients expect practical implementation support, not just legal advice.
Drapalski Consulting partners with law firms to:
Drapalski Consulting’s Post-Merger Integration Approach
Our CFO-centric post-merger integration framework is designed specifically for scale-ups and small to medium-sized companies. It combines clear governance, financial discipline, and practical execution—structured enough to ensure control, yet lean enough to fit organizations with limited internal resources.
Pre-Deal Phase
We support CFO offices and small to mid-sized law firms early in the transaction by clarifying acquisition objectives and integration implications. Our work includes financial and operational due diligence with a strong integration focus, identifying synergy potential and key risks, and providing structured input for transaction design and letters of intent.
Integration Planning Phase
Following the letter of intent, we establish lean integration governance and clear decision structures. We set up program and project management, develop a realistic integration roadmap across finance, IT, operations, and people, and align closely with legal advisors to ensure compliance with contractual and regulatory requirements.
Day-1 & “100 Days” Preparation
Before closing, we ensure financial readiness, liquidity, and reporting capability from Day 1. Integration priorities and quick wins are defined in detail, while communication and change management concepts are prepared to support employees and leadership through the transition.
First 100 Days Post-Merger
During the first 100 days, we focus on disciplined execution of the integration roadmap and stabilization of day-to-day operations. Financial reporting and governance structures are harmonized, early synergies are realized, and close coordination with law firms and key stakeholders ensures alignment across all workstreams.
Master Data Integration & Controls
A critical success factor in post-merger integration is the harmonization of master data. We support the integration of financial, customer, supplier, and product master data, establish clear data ownership and controls, and ensure consistent reporting, compliance, and decision-making across the combined organization.
Transformation & Optimization
After stabilization, the integration transitions into a long-term transformation phase. We support the realization of mid- to long-term synergies, optimize financial structures, reporting, and governance models, and assist with follow-up growth initiatives or restructuring measures as the organization scales.
How We Support Our Clients
Our CFO-centric post-merger integration framework is designed specifically for scale-ups and SMEs—structured, but lightweight.
For Scale-Ups and SMEs:
We act as an extension of the CFO office—bringing structure, governance, and integration experience without adding complexity.
For Small and Medium Law Firms:
We complement legal expertise with post-merger integration governance, financial steering, and program management—helping law firms deliver measurable value to their clients.
Interested in Post-Merger Integration for Scale-Ups and SMEs?
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