Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Who I work with – and why that’s relevant I work with CEOs, C-suites and PE-backed portfolio leaders to turn acquisitions into board-proof P&L impact within 100 days – instead of “great deals” that quietly underdeliver What I bring to the table • 46 M&A integrations, and 1,700+ executives trained • Deep experience with carve-outs, TSAs and synergy delivery • A human-centric integration approach combined with private-equity-grade discipline • AI-enabled integration playbooks making synergy tracking faster & more robust You might recognize this • You’ve sold a value story to the Board, ask “show me the results”, the answers are fuzzy • Dashboards look “green”, but your gut says integration is slipping • Customer and talent risk is creeping up and your best people ask “What does this mean for me?” • You’re spending time arbitrating politics instead of talking to customers and investors • Decision rights are unclear; TSAs, IT are driving the pace more than strategy • Every new deal feels like reinventing the wheel, lots of meetings, but no simple, repeatable playbook you fully trust What you get when we work together • A 100-day and 12-month integration & synergy roadmap you can defend in any Board meeting • A real execution engine, PMO, SteerCo rhythm – that drives delivery • Protected customers, key talent & core business while the organization changes • Clear owners for synergies & risks, with early-warning signals • A repeatable integration model: Executive Alignment, WeekOne & the Synergy Working Session Core offer – Deal-to-Real Integration Partner • We manage the 3 key events: Executive Alignment, WeekOne & the Synergy Working Session • We set up, if needed, run the PMO for 6–12 months • We establish & drive the SteerCo cadence & decision-making rhythm • We support key functions translating the equity story into workplans • I act as your sparring partner on priorities, trade-offs, escalation & communication. Lighter-touch options • 3 key events + PMO + SteerCo • 3 key events + SteerCo • 3 key events only • CEO & PMO coaching – 1:1 support We also offer training & capability building • Integration Masterclass – 20 lessons + 20-week mastermind, plus bespoke playbook • 3 Key Events Simulation (2 days) – your team experiences running each event • M&A Lifecycle (3 days) • M&A Modelling (3 days) • PMI Intensive (3 days) If you want integration to be an advantage, not a risk factor, let’s talk. 📅 Book a confidential conversation: https://tidycal.com/blackboardma/m-a-integration20251114201048-1d577xd thomas.kessler [at] blackboardma.com
Post Merger Integration including Synergy identification, analysis, prioritization, Day One task identification prioritization and scheduling, Day One readiness, Synergy tracking, Communication, M&A Integration Executive Training and Coaching I provide training and consulting services to accelerate through and create significant value for our clients merger integration including: + how to capture synergies + stabilize the company + mobilize support + gain stakeholder acceptance + Day One readiness + expedite planning and execution + develop targeted communication plans + align the cultures effectively and + incentivize value driven behavior
Mentors of the MSt in Entrepreneurship programme are assigned to each student and offer continuous one-to-one practical support and advice throughout the 2 years of the programme. They are experienced entrepreneurs who aim to support students to develop their ideas into real businesses, or to find ways of efficiently scaling and refining their existing business strategies.
As part of our investment in the company, I have the privilege to support the growth of the company through my advisory board membership