Client Profile
A Fortune 500 manufacturing conglomerate undergoing a high-value cross-border acquisition. With over 15,000 employees and operations in 12 countries, the client needed to secure digital assets and ensure business continuity across both entities during and after the merger.
Challenges Faced
Key security concerns included:
- Lack of unified GRC controls across merging entities
- Exposure of sensitive data during due diligence and transition
- Inconsistent access management and identity governance
- Gaps in regulatory compliance across jurisdictions
Solution
COE Security implemented a tailored M&A Security Integration Program, combining:
- Pre-Merger Risk Assessment: Mapped cybersecurity exposure and regulatory gaps across both organizations
- Secure Data Room Setup: Enabled encrypted, access-controlled sharing of critical documents
- Identity & Access Integration: Unified identity systems and privilege access across domains
- Compliance Harmonization: Aligned policies with cross-border regulatory requirements
M&A Cybersecurity Operations
- Conducted asset discovery and vulnerability scans on both IT landscapes
- Isolated and secured sensitive data repositories during migration
- Provided 24/7 incident response during integration
- Integrated SIEM systems across merging environments
- Enabled secure communication channels for joint project teams
Governance, Strategy & Readiness
- Deployed centralized GRC tools across headquarters and regional hubs
- Integrated third-party risk insights into client’s BI dashboards
- Delivered role-specific cybersecurity training for IT managers globally
- Authored and standardized policies for over 20 business functions
COE Security Service Portfolio
- Cybersecurity Risk Assessments
- M&A Due Diligence Cyber Consulting
- GRC Automation & Compliance
- Security Architecture & Engineering
- Cloud Security Posture Management
- Identity & Access Governance
- Security Operations Center (SOC) Services
- Data Loss Prevention & Encryption
- Incident Response & Threat Hunting
- Executive Cyber Advisory & Board Reporting
Implementation Details
- Deployed secure cloud infrastructure to host transition systems
- Integrated acquired firm’s data into existing SIEM with custom alerting
- Conducted hands-on training for 80+ global security and IT leaders
- Standardized and published policy playbooks for both entities
- Built automated reporting pipelines aligned with audit committee metrics
Results Achieved
- 99.9% system uptime during merger execution
- 60% faster access unification across business units
- Achieved ISO 27001 alignment post-integration
- Cyber maturity rating improved from 2.8 to 4.3 within 6 months
Client Testimonial
“COE Security made the impossible possible. Their team ensured our acquisition was not only secure but also a model for future integrations.”