[Patrick K]

I’m interested in hearing best practices and real-world experiences for a somewhat unusual acquisition scenario.
How would you approach integration planning, governance, and change management when the acquiring company is only about one-quarter the size (by revenue) of the company being acquired, but intends to regain full operational control and replace most of the target’s C-suite after a 2-3 month handover period?

My concern is that traditional “parent absorbs target” assumptions may not hold when the acquired organization is significantly larger, potentially creating challenges around credibility, talent retention, decision-making authority, culture, and maintaining business continuity. What have you seen work well, and what pitfalls should be avoided in this type of reverse-scale leadership transition?

[Sakunthala (Saku) Jayanetti]

In my view, this requires a transition model built on clear decision rights, credible target-side leadership, and phased operational control, rather than a conventional absorption playbook. Early focus should be on continuity and retention of critical talent, supported by a joint Integration Management Office and transparent succession decisions; the main pitfall is replacing leadership too rapidly before the acquirer has earned organizational trust and fully understood the target’s operating model.

[Mary Gachanja]

Interesting scenario indeed. What I have seen work is a phased leadership transition rather than replacing the target’s C-suite within 2–3 months. The acquirer retained key executives, established joint integration teams and clearly defined decision-making authority from Day 1. The priority was to maintain business continuity, retain critical talent and to transfer institutional knowledge before implementing major leadership changes. Some key staff of the acquirer were seconded in the target company to ensure effective oversight, knowledge transfer while maintaining business continuity.

[Author]

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