Book a Time

Case Study – Post-Merger IT Turnaround under Private Equity Ownership

Initial Situation

Post-merger IT integration had stalled. Governance was weak, delivery unreliable, and cost transparency insufficient.

Business confidence in IT was low, and the CFO and investor had lost trust in financial reporting, forecasts, and budget commitments. IT was no longer perceived as value-enabling, but as a risk factor.

Pain Points – Value at Risk

  • Fragmented IT organization and unclear operating model

  • Lack of cost transparency and unreliable budget planning

  • Low delivery confidence after multiple failed initiatives

  • Increasing operational and financial risk in a PE environment

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Company

A global building technology group with approximately 3,500 employees, EUR 700 million in revenue, and operations across Europe, North America, and India.

Mandate

Investor-relevant objectives

  • Stabilize IT as a value-preserving function

  • Establish a scalable post-merger IT operating model

  • Restore financial transparency and budget control

  • Rebuild delivery credibility with business and finance

  • Prepare the organization for a clean handover to permanent CIO leadership

Scope: Interim CIO responsibility for ~75 FTE and an IT budget of approx. EUR 14 million.

 

 

Turnaround Strategy

Execution, not theory

  • Immediate organizational and governance reset

  • Clear ownership, prioritization, and decision rights

  • Establishment of a PMO with financial and delivery transparency

  • Introduction of cost control mechanisms aligned with CFO and investor expectations

  • Ruthless prioritization: focus on value-relevant initiatives, conscious de-scoping of low-impact activities

  • Hands-on leadership to move stalled projects into controlled execution

 

Results

Stabilization, control, and value protection

  • Full transparency across IT costs, projects, and resource allocation

  • Restored trust by CFO and investor, enabling renewed budget approvals

  • IT delivery shifted from escalation mode to controlled execution

  • Business-aligned prioritization and visible progress on critical initiatives

  • IT organization stabilized and positioned for sustainable leadership transition

The IT function moved from a risk exposure to a controllable, value-preserving asset — aligned with private equity expectations and exit readiness.