Managing M&A from strategic intent to integration : IOC's acquisition of IBP and after

Abstract

This paper, in the nature of a case study, discusses the entire range of managerial issues addressed by Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOC) in the acquisition, subsequent merger and post-merger integration of IBP Co. Limited (IBP) following IBP's disinvestment by the Government of India. The three stages of IBP transactions spanned a 5-6 year period from 2002 to 2007. The paper discusses from IOC's perspective, the strategic case for the IBP acquisition, rationale for what turned out to be an extremely aggressive bid price for IBP, the raison for subsequent merger, and the critical choices made by IOC management in post-merger integration of IBP. The paper also examines the controversies the IBP transactions generated in their wake and the corporate governance issues involved. We conclude that IOC appears to have handled the entire value chain of activities in the IBP transactions from acquisition planning and strategic evaluation through deal execution, post-acquisition merger, and to post-merger integration with a high level of professionalism, a balanced sense of priorities and a high degree of sensitivity, rarely seen in the Indian public sector milieu. We also believe that as Indian companies, particularly the larger state-owned enterprises, find themselves in the inevitable need to pursue M&A-based growth strategies, IOC's IBP experience should provide useful guidance in their endeavours.