Why the first 100 days matter
Closing feels like the finish line. It is the start. PwC's 2026 M&A Integration Survey found only about one in three acquirers fully achieve their deal thesis objectives, and only 16% assess leadership and talent before signing. The same survey found 56% of respondents named organization design and decision rights as their leading people challenge. Leadership change is common too: AlixPartners' 2026 survey found 65% of PE firms report CEO turnover during the hold, and Accordion reports 74% of sponsors say their portfolio company CFOs aren't meeting expectations.
None of that is a reason to panic. It is a reason to plan for leadership as carefully as you planned for the price.
Days 0 to 30: stabilize
- Name the integration owner. One person, with authority and time. Not a committee, and not someone doing it on top of a full job.
- Protect cash. Set up a 13-week cash forecast for the combined business, confirm banking and approval authority, and lock down spending outside the plan.
- Protect customers and key people. Call the top customers. Identify the people you can't lose and talk to them in person.
- Revisit the plan. A plan written before close was written with partial information. Expect to change it once you are inside.
Days 31 to 60: decide
- Leadership. Decide who is staying in each key seat, who isn't, and how you will cover any gaps. Waiting doesn't make this easier.
- Decision rights. Write down who decides pricing, hiring, spending and customer commitments.
- Operating cadence. One weekly meeting, one scorecard, one set of numbers everyone uses.
- Quick wins. Pick two or three that prove the thesis: a pricing fix, a procurement saving, a cross-sell motion.
Days 61 to 100: deliver
- Report results against the thesis. Use the scorecard, not anecdotes.
- Make permanent hires for any seats covered on an interim basis, or set a date to.
- Write the next plan. Day 100 is a checkpoint, not an ending. Set the 12-month priorities.
Who should run it?
| Option | Works when | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Existing management | Strong team, simple deal, spare capacity | Integration done in their spare time |
| Sponsor operating partner | PE-backed, partner has bandwidth | Spread across many portfolio companies |
| Consulting firm | Large, complex integration needing analysis and program management | Recommendations without operating ownership |
| Interim or embedded executives | Seats are empty, or management is stretched | Make sure the handoff to permanent leaders is planned |
| Turnaround firm | The acquired business is in distress | Overbuilt if it isn't |
When The Proper Group (TPG) is not the right call
- Your management team has the capacity and the deal is simple. A tuck-in of a similar business into a strong team may need nothing from outside.
- You need a large integration program office across many sites or countries. A consulting firm built for that scale is the better choice.
- The acquired company is in distress or near insolvency. Bring in a turnaround firm.
- You only need a permanent CEO or CFO and the seat is safely covered. Run a search.
TPG fits when the deal has closed, key seats are empty or stretched, and you want one accountable lead running the operators who come in, with a planned handoff to the permanent team.
The Proper Group
The Proper Group is a national collective, headquartered in Cincinnati, that places senior operating executives inside companies at the moments the current team can't carry: cash pressure, a missed plan, a closed deal, a leader gone. One accountable lead runs the team, the executive who diagnoses the problem can embed to fix it, and every engagement is built to hand off to the client's own leaders.
Frequently asked questions
What should be in a 100-day plan after an acquisition?
An integration owner, a cash plan, customer and people retention, leadership and decision-rights decisions, an operating cadence and measurable early results.
Who should own integration?
One named person with authority and dedicated time. Shared ownership is a common reason plans stall.
When should leadership changes happen after close?
Most of the decisions should be made in the first 60 days. Delays tend to cost more than early, well-planned changes.
Should the plan be written before close?
Start it before close, then expect to revise it once you see the business from inside.
How long does integration support usually last?
The first 100 days set direction. Embedded support often runs longer; TPG's typically runs 6 to 18 months with a planned transfer to the client's team.
Next step: Just closed, or about to? A Post-Close Sprint is a fixed-scope, two-to-three-week look at what the first 100 days actually need. Let's talk.
Contact The Proper Group