Case Study

Post-merger Integration and Cultural Transformation for Global Retailer

Context

  • Global cash & carry operator with presence in 28 countries.

  • Business results severely challenged by the world crisis and change of consumer habits. New corporate business strategy recently defined to address the demands of a more competitive market.

  • Need to accelerate the execution of the new strategy in all the countries, with focus on the 8 biggest markets, ensuring a change of mindset required to implement it, and conducting an urgent cultural change, centered around the customer, while growing in sales and profitability.

  • Client requests to conduct a specific cultural change effort in Iberia (Spain and Portugal) after recent merger of the operations into a single business.

Approach

  • Strategic Alignment of the Iberian Executive Committee (ExCo).

  • Team coaching to the Iberian ExCo to accelerate strategy implementation and cultural transformation, developing key leadership and management skills to cope with the demands of a post-merger environment.

  • Cultural alignment for the whole organization, developing self-leadership and team leadership with Oxford Leadership flagship methodologies “Self Managing LeadershipTM” and “Leading High Performing Teams TM”. Deployed to the entire organization through a “Train the Trainers” model in 18 months.

Results

  • +5,000 participants took part in leadership development programmes aimed at supporting the adoption of desired mindset and behaviors.

  • Improvement in employee engagement and work environment despite of the economic crisis and the loss of some employee benefits.

  • High-performing teamwork dynamics implemented by the management team.

  • Creation of common symbols and language.

  • Growth in the resilience of the organisation

  • Substantial financial results improvement regardless of deep economic crisis.

  • Supported the implementation of the cultural transformation for 36 months, in the context of a larger multi-national engagement where Oxford Leadership supported the leadership development of +100,000 employees across 26 countries.