Organisational Design

A top-20 global pharmaceutical company had completed a $15 billion acquisition to strengthen its oncology portfolio. Twelve months post-close, synergy capture was significantly behind plan. Duplicate functions across R&D, commercial, and G&A were creating confusion and internal competition. Cultural differences between the two organisations were driving attrition of key scientific talent. The integration risked destroying the very value it was designed to capture.

We designed a new operating model that preserved the entrepreneurial culture of the acquired company while leveraging the scale and infrastructure of the parent organisation. The model was built around three principles: clear decision rights, integrated but not absorbed R&D, and a unified commercial platform. We conducted extensive cultural diagnostics and stakeholder interviews to design an integration approach that respected both legacies.

We supported the creation of a new organisational structure with 47 integrated leadership roles, implemented a decision-rights framework (RACI) for 200+ critical business processes, and designed retention packages for 85 key scientists identified as flight risks. A comprehensive culture integration programme included leadership offsites, cross-functional project teams, and a new shared purpose statement co-created with employees from both organisations.

The company captured $200 million in synergies — 25% above the original target — and completed the integration four months ahead of plan. Employee engagement in the acquired entity improved from 58% to 81%. Key scientist attrition was limited to 4%, versus an industry average of 22% for similar transactions. The combined oncology portfolio has since become the company's largest revenue contributor.