M&A integration: “I hope your firings go really well”

using hr consultants for post-merger reorganization - Kraft/Cadbury example

Layoffs are often a necessary evil of post-merger integration. While some companies handle this ugly task well, many don’t. As layoffs typically occur early in the integration process (when confusion and stress are at fever pitch), it sometimes makes sense to hire HR consultants to help ease the load and prevent missteps.

Kraft’s M&A “dog & pony” – going overboard with rhetoric?

Kraft's post-offer communication to Cadbury shareholders

With an acquisition offer endorsed by Cadbury’s management, Kraft has set about wooing Cadbury’s investors, employees, and the UK goverment to get the final seal of approval on the deal. While we certainly endorse this swift, aggressive communication, we wonder if Kraft’s rhetoric has gone a bit overboard (especially on the jobs front) and they’ll be forced to eat their words in the future.

Kraft-Cadbury merger presentation – how did they do?

After listening to Kraft’s merger presentation to investors (available in webcast on the their web site), I would give the presentation a solid “B” grade. It certainly wasn’t emotional (in fact, you could hear the weariness in Kraft CEO Irene Rosenfeld’s voice), but you really don’t want an emotional tone in investor presentations anyway (especially when discussing mergers). It was a nice, concise presentation that focused on positives of the deal and laid out the rationale in a very clear manner.