Key takeaways
- Delivered a complex, regulated post‑merger integration on time and within scope across 20+ workstreams in two financial services organizations.
- Enabled $45M in synergies through disciplined governance, execution, and tracking.
- Maintained strong regulatory compliance and employee engagement during significant organizational change.
The situation
Two Canadian financial services organizations merged to form the client. Both held a banking license but operated with different business models and operational structures. One entity focused on alternative lending and card services, while the other specialized in mortgages. The merger introduced significant complexity across people, processes, systems, and regulatory requirements.
The client faced challenges coordinating more than 20 integration workstreams across functions, including marketing, procurement, finance, HR, IT, risk, and legal. They also needed to meet strict regulatory expectations, manage operational and technology integration risks, and maintain employee engagement during a period of major change. Given the scale, regulatory scrutiny, and time sensitivity of the integration, the client sought external support to provide structure, governance, and hands-on execution.
The approach and solution
We supported the client through a comprehensive post‑merger integration program, acting as the Integration Management Office (IMO) while also leading change management and providing hands‑on HRIS and IT support. We established clear integration governance, including an IMO structure, defined decision bodies, and more than 20 structured integration workstreams.
Our team implemented a disciplined integration cadence with regular working sessions, transparent reporting, and robust risk and dependency management. We provided external reporting to regulators and the Board and tracked realized synergies across all workstreams. We delivered pragmatic project management to keep the integration on schedule. In parallel, we designed and implemented a tailored change management plan to support communications, training, and leadership engagement. This plan kept employees informed, provided consistent support, and aligned them throughout the transition.
The results
The integration was successfully executed across all 20+ workstreams, with all critical milestones achieved within the first 180 days and full year‑one objectives delivered as planned. We supported the identification and realization of $45M in synergies through organizational redesign, technology optimization, and vendor consolidation. Regulatory reporting requirements were met, and integration risks were effectively managed. Leadership and employee satisfaction remained high throughout the rollout, establishing a strong foundation for the newly combined organization.