Case Study: Global M&A Programme
Jeff Owen
Cambridge Management Consulting delivers the TSA programme for a $216m divestment 6 months early & under budget.
Utilising our significant experience and proven M&A framework we successfully managed the global divestiture for a multinational financial services company.
The goal of the programme was the transition of two financial derivatives trading platform businesses. The client approached Cambridge Management Consulting to advise them on the optimal way to deliver a business-critical transition and TSA.
The initial engagement was to review and implement a TSA programme and support the client with consulting services to deliver an optimised TSA. We quickly became a trusted partner, and our engagement was extended to leading the delivery of the transition programme.
Our experience in managing and delivering successful TSA transitions resulted in our TSA Manager, Program Manager, Project Managers, Solution Architects and PMO remaining on the TSA from start to finish, ensuring consistency and continuity.
The Challenge
- Client lacked in-house M&A experience and the appropriate resources.
- TSA contract lacked detail which threatened transition timeline and budget.
- Complex global HR transition requirements (US, UK, EU & India).
- FS Global compliance where different regions have different regulatory compliance standards.
- Licensing consent complexity: transition period required the acquiror to contract for ~100 licenses while the client continued to provide an interim service.
- Financial market instability during transition period resulted in staffing challenges impacting the HR workstream.
- We were challenged by the client to optimise the timeline to exit the TSA earlier than the contracted 18-month duration.
Solutions
- Cambridge MC resolved issues with the TSA contract and aligned all parties through a detailed ‘blueprint’ and contract amendment. Typically, we would be engaged early to develop the TSA alongside the client.
- Cambridge MC are experienced with cross-border M&A and the legal implications from TUPE and other workforce legal requirements.
- Our Contract Management team are skilled at assessing and resolving contractual issues and preventing loss of service and unforeseen costs.
- Our HR capability can step in to help with staffing issues and take the pressure off in-house HR teams.
- Our commitment to delivering cost-effective consultancy services means that we delivered the TSA 6 months early and under budget.
Approach
- We ran 16 global projects (with 4 sub-programmes)
- We provided our client with direct access to a team of highly experienced on-demand professionals who remained on the programme for the duration, providing consistency and continuity
- Our PMOaaS hybrid programme approach used both Agile and Waterfall iterative methods in a Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) framework. This approach enabled the programme to gather momentum—planning as knowledge was understood—rather than trying to plan everything up-front
- Full blueprint (MSP artefact) production defined the scope of Roles & Responsibilities, dependencies and the project portfolio definition
- Using our collaborative approach to client relationship management, we brought all the parties together under a jointly agreed definition of what success looks like—this set the vision for the entire project
Outcome & Results
- Highly successful transition which satisfied both parties.
- 18-month programme was delivered within 12 months and under budget.
- All contractual obligations were met.
About Cambridge Management Consulting
Cambridge Management Consulting (Cambridge MC) is an international consulting firm that helps companies of all sizes have a better impact on the world. Founded in Cambridge, UK, initially to help the start-up community, Cambridge MC has grown to over 150 consultants working on projects in 20 countries.
Our capabilities focus on supporting the private and public sector with their people, process and digital technology challenges.
For more information visit
www.cambridgemc.com or get in touch below.
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We were approached by one of the fastest growing data centre providers in Europe. With over 20 data centres throughout the continent, they are consistently meeting the need for scalable, high-performance infrastructure. Despite this, a key data centre in Scandinavia had become reliant on a single, non-redundant 1 Gbps internet service from a local provider, posing significant risks to operational continuity. To enhance the reliability of its network and resolve these risks, our client needed to establish additional connectivity paths to ensure the redundancy of its infrastructure. The Ask Cambridge Management Consulting was engaged to address these connectivity challenges by identifying and evaluating potential vendors and infrastructure options to create second and third connectivity paths. This involved exploring various types of connectivity, including internet access, point-to-point capacity, wavelengths, and dark fibre. Additionally, Cambridge MC was asked to provide recommendations for building a local fibre network around the data centre to control and maintain diverse paths. This would allow the data centre to connect directly to nearby points of presence (PoPs) and reduce dependency on external providers, thereby enhancing network resilience and operational control. The goal of this project was to ensure that the Nordic data centre could maintain continuous operations even in the event of a failure in the primary connection. Approach & Skills Cambridge MC approached the project with a focus on ensuring operational continuity and resilience for the data centre. By identifying multiple connectivity paths, we aimed to mitigate the risk of network failures and ensure that the data centre could maintain continuous operations even in the event of a failure in the primary connection. This approach allowed Cambridge MC to provide a comprehensive solution to address both immediate and long-term connectivity needs. We employed a combination of Agile and Waterfall methodologies to manage the project. The initial investigative phase allowed a Waterfall approach, in which our team conducted thorough research and analysis to identify potential vendors and connectivity options. This phase involved detailed interviews with various telecommunications providers and an assessment of publicly available information. Once the initial analysis was complete, the workflow transitioned to an Agile approach for the implementation phase. This allowed Cambridge MC to adapt to new information and feedback from stakeholders, ensuring that the final solution was both flexible and robust. Challenges Lack of information: One of the primary obstacles we faced was the lack of detailed network maps and information from some of the potential vendors. To overcome this, the team conducted extensive interviews with contacts at these companies and leveraged its existing network of industry contacts to gather as much information as possible. Remote location: Another challenge was the remote location of the data centre, which limited the availability of local infrastructure and required us to explore creative solutions for connectivity. Cambridge MC addressed this by proposing the construction of a local fibre network around the data centre, which would allow for greater control and flexibility in connecting to nearby PoPs. Fragmented factors: Additionally, coordinating with multiple vendors and ensuring that their services could be integrated seamlessly posed a logistical challenge. We mitigated this by recommending a phased approach to implementation, starting with the most critical connectivity paths and gradually expanding to include additional options. Outcomes & Results Increased Connectivity: Cambridge MC successfully identified and evaluated multiple connectivity paths for the data centre. By exploring various types of connectivity, including internet access, point-to-point capacity, wavelengths, and dark fibre, we provided a comprehensive solution that significantly enhanced network resilience and reliability. Greater Control & Flexibility: Our recommendations for building a local fibre network around the data centre allowed for greater control and flexibility in connecting to nearby points of presence, ensuring continuous operations even in the event of a failure in the primary connection. New Vendors: The team’s extensive network of industry contacts and deep understanding of the regional telecommunications landscape allowed for a thorough and nuanced evaluation of potential vendors and connectivity options. Scope for Future Work: Cambridge MC identified several future developments with the potential to further enhance international connectivity and provide additional redundancy for the data centre. We also proposed further assistance, including a site visit for a more in-depth analysis of options, issuing RFI/RFP to vendors for capacity and fibre, and conducting similar connectivity studies for other candidate sites in the region.
Thames Freeport this week revealed the eight companies selected to participate in the Freeport’s Connectivity Lab, an initiative focused on validating commercially proven technologies in live port and logistics environments.
Emerging as a hub for innovation, Thames Freeport is a unique initiative designed to stimulate trade and transform the lives of people in its region. Leveraging global connectivity and occupying a strategic position with intermodal capabilities across river, rail, and road, Thames Freeport has recognised its opportunity to drive economic regeneration for the local area. Thames Freeport engaged Cambridge Management Consulting to design a clear strategy for innovation over the next three to five years. Key considerations for this innovation strategy included objectives and KPIs, the future of the business ecosystem in the region, physical clusters and assets such as innovation hubs, and opportunities and challenges on the way. The Solution Working with our innovation partner, L Marks, Cambridge MC conducted an innovation strategy project which involved the following: Engaging with a range of stakeholders and partners from local authorities to corporate partners across the Thames Freeport area, leveraging interviews with key individuals to build a common picture of innovation aspirations, opportunities, and challenges. Conducting a series of workshops for the Thames Freeport team to consider visions and objectives, themes and focus areas, physical hubs and overall programme structure, and a three-year roadmap plan. Building a comprehensive innovation strategy which internalised all of the above questions. This was then presented to their board and formed the basis of the public tenders for innovation programmes that were then made public.
