CFO Intelligence Magazine – Fall 2025
Steve Nunn
Founder and CEO of Intista
The Biggest Pitfalls of M&A Integration
Mergers and acquisitions often promise growth and synergy, but they overlook challenges that begin once the agreement is signed.
Acquisition integration is the thoughtful alignment of different people, processes, operations, technologies, and business cultures to create added value.
Acquisition integration is rarely straightforward: unexpected issues almost always arise. The complexity of merging the operations, cultures, and systems of businesses is frequently underestimated.
1-in-4 Odds Should Worry Dealmakers
Would you gamble millions of dollars for a 1:4 chance of delivering success?
The success of mergers and acquisitions has been measured since the 1970s and has consistently reported a success rate of 20%-30%. These are not evaluations of the transactions; they are measuring the completion and outcomes of crucial projects and tasks. When publications say that 70% of M&As fail, they are referring to the post-merger integration.