The idea for this blog post series arose from the situation at a customer, where we introduced CI/CD because the manual workload was no longer manageable. The following instructions are therefore fresh from practical experience. For simplicity, we have shortened the long road of trial and error and present here only the final results. The code snippets are exemplary but sufficient to present the functionality.
Munich, January 11, 2023: The IT service provider digatus it group AG continues its buy & build strategy and thus its growth course and complements existing IT M&A expertise by merging with M&A digitalization partner MAxpertise GmbH. With effect from 01.01.2023, MAxpertise is thus 100% part of the digatus group.
Due diligence translates as required or appropriate care, whereby in the M&A context it is a risk assessment. It is usually carried out prior to a company takeover or merger. The aim here is to make the risks of the purchase quantifiable for the investor or the buyer in M&A transactions. After all, the investor wants to know exactly how profitable and sustainable the targeted object is and whether the purchase price in question is justified. Subsequently, the identified risks have to be managed in the post-merger integration.
When corporate acquisitions are the subject of public discussion, they usually involve large, well-known companies and takeovers with sometimes far-reaching consequences. Expansion and influence on the market as well as the realization of synergy effects are then often the driving force behind the purchase. However, most company acquisitions do not attract much media attention and mainly concern medium-sized companies. Here, the company purchase is often more of a means to an end and is carried out, for example, in order to make succession arrangements or as an alternative to founding a new company. For buyers, the purchase of a company can be an alternative to founding a new company. The advantage can lie in already existing structures, well-rehearsed processes and a given employee and customer base. But the takeover of a company is also a complex process that can involve many risks and must be well planned and considered.
An IT carve-out in the context of M&A requires a lot of planning and preparation, with several aspects to consider. This article offers an introduction to the topic and some practical tips for a speedy implementation of a carve-out project.
In mergers and acquisitions of companies, the IT area plays an important but also costly role. Our experienced consultants help you to successfully master challenges even in complex merger & acquisition (M&A) projects. In doing so, we focus on comprehensive coverage of the entire transaction process from an IT perspective, from initial identification and evaluation of opportunities and risks, to support in contract and license management, to stable operation. As a partner, we assume the role of IT M&A advisor with cross-industry expertise in national and international M&A transactions.
Due to the deep anchoring of IT in all corporate divisions and business processes, a company acquisition without its precise consideration and adaptation is unthinkable nowadays. Accordingly, IT due diligence is becoming increasingly important alongside financial, legal and tax due diligence.
Due diligence is an important measure in mergers and acquisitions (M&A). In mergers and acquisitions, due diligence allows the buyer to confirm pertinent information about the seller, such as contracts, finances, and customers. By gathering this information, the buyer is better able to make an informed decision and close the deal with confidence.
The idea for this blog post series arose from the situation at a customer, where we introduced CI/CD because the manual workload was no longer manageable. The following instructions are therefore fresh from practical experience. For simplicity, we have shortened the long road of trial and error and present here only the final results. The code snippets are exemplary but sufficient to present the functionality.
As of 1.5.2022, our consulting unit has signed a cooperation agreement with Cape of Good Code GmbH for the joint execution of software and technology due diligence services for M&A transactions. The aim of the cooperation is to use the DETANGLE analysis software developed by Cape of Good Code in digatus’ IT M&A business area. The growing demand for technology/software due diligence in M&A deals shows the increasing importance of software for the valuation and sustainable success in the acquisition of software-dependent business models.
A project is a business for a certain period of time. It has its own project organization consisting of different rules, roles, experience levels and communication structures. Due to complex project tasks as well as budget and time restrictions, the organization must not be neglected under any circumstances and must ensure a clear definition of tasks and responsibilities as well as a clear demarcation from the line organization. This is the only way to ensure cost- and time-efficient project progress. There are many different approaches to setting up the project organization and implementing the project – but what is inevitable is the use of employees across different levels of experience. This allows the distribution of tasks and responsibilities to employees with the appropriate level of experience. This makes the processing of tasks more effective and efficient in terms of time and costs. This article shows the different levels of experience that project management and consulting offer in the course of a career and the exciting tasks and responsibilities that are associated with them in the context of project work.
The world of IT is vast, so specialization in certain areas is the norm. If you decide to work in web development, there are, for example, specialists for the frontend as well as for the backend and you often read about the so-called fullstack developers. What are the differences and what motivation and skills should one have for the respective job? We asked our developers about this:
Starting a new job is very exciting because you get to meet a lot of new people and get involved in different projects. To show what starting at digatus can look like, I would like to give an insight into my first few weeks.
What company is not familiar with this situation? A software product is quickly needed and downloaded – thus purchased under fully licensing regulations. In the background, the general terms and conditions and licence conditions are accepted with a mouse click and the horror begins for every SAM compliance officer in the company.
Meetings have long since become an integral part of our everyday working lives. We meet in different constellations and discuss various topics to pursue common goals. But if you take a closer look, you will notice that there are different perceptions and definitions. Because of these differences in perception and implementation, the quality and effectiveness of meetings vary. In the following, we have summarised our view of meetings and show which type of meeting is suitable for which objective, because not all meetings are the same.
At the beginning of the year, we relaunched our internal employee survey using the extensive Microsoft 365 product range. Edouard Streit describes how we proceeded in detail with the help of our practical guide, which is also intended to encourage people to follow our example.
In the context of IT Carve-Out projects, four key scenarios in which the use of Microsoft 365 solutions on the target side should be considered. On the one hand, the licenses can be scaled up well and no own IT know-how in the company is necessary for the use. On the other hand, Microsoft 365 solutions offer a high level of data protection, disaster recovery, backups, and investment protection for server hardware.
In their strategic orientation, companies like to stick to the concept of Lean management, as it is considered the driver of efficient processes. However, it is not a classic management method in a conventional sense, but rather embodies a holistic mindset. The Lean management approach defines itself as a combination of different methods to create real added value for customers. In order to achieve this primary goal, it is necessary to avoid waste in the company and to identify and, if necessary, eliminate superfluous business processes.
Whether the business case of an M&A deal or divestment is successful or not depends on numerous factors. One often underestimated aspect is the design of the Transitional Service Agreement (TSA). Due to complex processes and company-specific dependencies, especially in the areas of IT, HR and finance, the outsourced unit (target) is usually not able to act independently from the beginning (Day1). Especially in the case of group spin-offs, it still needs support from the seller side for a transitional period in order to maintain the business operation. What this support should exactly look like is specified in the Transitional Service Agreement, which is concluded between the seller and the buyer and which usually has a term of about six to twelve months. Anyone who thinks that the parties will surely agree as the transitional time is so short, is mistaken. Our experience shows that a regular transition period, during which the outsourced unit can access the usual services as long as necessary in order to establish their own processes in parallel, in line with the new challenges and goals, is decisive for the successful start into independence and prevents time- and cost-consuming disputes between the parties. So, what shall be considered when designing a successful TSA?
