Strategic Insights
Perspectives on governance, risk, and technology leadership.
When "We'll Deal With That After Close" Is Not a Plan
The phrase "we'll deal with that after close" is not a plan. It is an acknowledgment that the risk has been accepted without being examined.
READ ARTICLE →When the Model Is Not the Problem
Financial models give acquisition decisions structure and coherence. That structure can also make a deal feel more understood than it is, especially when the downside case never really moves beyond the base assumptions.
READ ARTICLE →What Boards Miss When They Only Focus on Price
Price gets the most attention in an acquisition discussion because it is easy to compare and argue about. What it does not tell you is whether the business will keep working after the deal closes.
READ ARTICLE →Where Deal Risk Actually Lives
Boards often spend most of their time evaluating whether a growth strategy is worth approving. The more consequential work usually begins after the decision is made, as the organization commits resources that become difficult to reverse.
READ ARTICLE →What Boards Commit To When They Approve Growth
Boards often spend most of their time evaluating whether a growth strategy is worth approving. The more consequential work usually begins after the decision is made, as the organization commits resources that become difficult to reverse.
READ ARTICLE →When the Numbers Work but the Risk Still Doesn’t
Some acquisitions pass every financial test and still warrant hesitation. The risks that matter most often sit outside the model, in execution assumptions that are harder to quantify than the returns they produce.
READ ARTICLE →Why Smaller Acquisitions Can Carry Greater Execution Risk
Small acquisitions often look safer because the financial exposure is limited, but the operational demands they create can be significant. Execution risk tracks the amount of organizational change required after closing, not the size of the check.
READ ARTICLE →The Hidden Risk in Turnaround Acquisitions
A higher purchase price does not always signal a riskier acquisition. The premium paid for a well-run business often buys stability, while a discounted turnaround can quietly demand far more management capacity than the financial model suggests.
READ ARTICLE →When Growth Outpaces Organizational Capacity
Growth strategies often look attractive in the planning stage, but the strain tends to appear once execution begins. The question that separates strong initiatives from costly ones is whether the organization has the capacity to absorb the work without weakening the core business
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