In this interview, independent PMI lead Clément Ducreux shares how he approaches post‑merger integration after years of running PMI projects for international groups. He explains why PMI is a different discipline from M&A, how the “baton pass” between deal team and integration team often goes wrong, and why he pushes to involve PMI already during due diligence.
Throughout the conversation, Clément illustrates what good integration looks like in practice: from balancing short‑term operational stability with long‑term value creation, to handling surprises in the first 30–60 days, to building trust with acquired teams through transparency, one‑to‑one discussions, and being physically present on site.
Key takeaways
- Bringing PMI into due diligence surfaces people and org risks early (duplicate roles, Day‑1 questions, realistic synergies), not only valuation numbers.
- Small, safe experiments help avoid “overprotecting operations” and unblock changes that actually create value.
- The most useful integration insights rarely come from slide decks; they come from being on site, talking 1:1, and listening to what people say outside formal meetings.
- Reading the organization “beyond the org chart” – who has tenure, who built key tools, who others defer to – is critical to spotting informal veto players who can quietly block or accelerate change.
- Treating red status as early detection, not failure, plus visible sponsorship from leaders (showing up, visiting sites, staying engaged) are what keep integrations from drifting off track.
Watch the full interview with Clément to dive deeper into these PMI lessons and see how an independent integration lead navigates real‑world deals.
