Building the Execution Roadmap

Abstract

The first 30 days after the announcement of a separation or divestiture are extremely critical. The seller company must build out a detailed execution plan, mobilize the entire organization, and engage a buyer. Even before a mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deal is made public, a significant portion of preparatory work should already be completed, including outlining the overall separation strategy, identifying the separation leader, setting up the governance structure, developing a top-down estimate of one-time costs and resource requirements, and drafting an execution plan. The first 30 days are critical to align the larger leadership team and engage subject matter advisors (SMAs) to help refine the execution plan and jumpstart the implementation. At the end of 30 days, there should be one plan, one goal, and one team marching toward the single aim of a successful Day 1.