Post-Acquisition
Day-one CEO. Integration delivered.
An English-speaking operator in the Italian seat from closing. Integration executed. Operating model built. Permanent successor handed the keys.
For
PE funds, strategic acquirers and family offices that just closed (or are about to close) on an Italian target and need an executive on the ground from day one.
Day 1
On site at close
100d
Integration plan
EN/IT
Cross-border
6-12m
Typical mandate
The situation we step into
No CEO on day one
The seller's CEO is out or one foot out. The permanent CEO search is months away. Closing day cannot be the day the operation goes dark.
Integration plan with no owner
The IMO has a deck. The business has nobody who actually executes it. Workstreams stall waiting for a decision.
Carve-out from a parent
Standalone finance, IT, HR and legal have to be stood up while the business keeps running. Transitional service agreements have a clock.
Italian context, foreign acquirer
Labour law, works councils, local board governance and bank relationships have to be handled in Italian, by someone the HQ can also brief in English.
What changes in the first 90 days
Operating model live
Org chart, decision rights, KPI tree and reporting cadence in production by end of month one.
Integration workstreams shipping
Each workstream has a named owner, a date and a board-visible milestone. Stale items are killed or escalated, not parked.
Top team in place
CFO, commercial lead and ops lead held or replaced. Successor CEO candidates identified inside or outside the company.
Clean handover
Permanent CEO arrives to a stable operation, a credible plan and a board pack that already works.
How the engagement runs
- Pre-close
Scoping with deal team and HQ.
100-day plan reviewed, gaps named, day-one comms prepared.
- Day 1
Take the seat.
Internal town hall. Top customer and supplier calls. Operating review installed.
- Month 1
Operating model live.
Decision rights, KPI tree and reporting cadence in production.
- Month 3
Integration unblocked.
Workstreams shipping. Replacement hires made where needed. Synergies tracked weekly.
- Exit
Handover to permanent CEO.
Successor briefed. Board pack and operating rhythm transferred.
Questions buyers ask
What is post-acquisition integration leadership?
An interim CEO who takes the seat from day one after closing, executes the integration plan, builds the new operating model and hands over to a permanent CEO once the asset is stable.
Why use an interim CEO right after closing?
The first 100 days set the value-creation curve. A permanent CEO search takes longer than the integration window. An interim operator buys you both speed and optionality.
Carve-out or bolt-on, which is harder?
Carve-outs are harder. Standalone IT, finance, HR and legal stacks have to be stood up while the business runs. The interim CEO owns the programme, not a consultant.
Cross-border integration with an Italian target, what changes?
Italian labour law, works council dynamics and local board governance are different. English-Italian execution shortens the loop between HQ and the Italian operation.
Need this seat filled. Fast.