Avoid the inevitable people risks in transactions with a more comprehensive people due diligence and change management process.
Mitigating the hidden people risks in transactions.
People risk is deal risk
Operational/ Market/ Product
Integration challenges
Market overestimation
Product/service misalignment
Operational disruption
Financial
Overvaluation
Hidden liabilities
Poor cash flow
Revenue volatility
Legal
Regulatory non-compliance
Contractual liabilities
IP ownership disputes
Pending litigation
People Risks
Leadership capability gaps
Lack of succession plan
Key talent attrition
Cultural clashes
There’s no cookie-cutter solution when it comes to people and transactions. Every deal is different, in context, complexity, and risk. But one thing remains consistent, overlooking the people side introduces a level of risk most deals can’t absorb.
In private deals, opacity makes it challenging to clearly identify the fail points. There’s often little visibility into culture, capability, or leadership alignment and that lack of insight creates risk. Whether you're buying, selling, investing, scaling or advising, a clear view of the people involved is critical.
Success can depend on several defined objectives - growth, exit, recurring revenue, tech leverage, new markets. But success always depends on people. When failure happens, it’s rarely just numbers — it’s culture misalignment, a leadership vacuum, and missed signals.
According to Herbert Smith Freehills’ Outlook for 2025, “More rigorous, holistic due diligence processes and emerging areas of enquiry are here to stay.” The business case is clear: get the people part right or risk the deal, and your reputation.
Let’s explore why people due diligence and people change management are no longer optional. They’re strategic imperatives.
succession coach
leadership coach
succession coach leadership coach
I’m here to help
I’m a consultant in the people space, working through the people side of complex deals. I have 30 years’ deep expertise and experience (and a book) in the buying, scaling and selling of businesses. I help uncover and mitigate the hidden people risks in transactions.
I understand the people dynamics in a transaction which helps make deals move faster, be less risky and more profitable.
I do this through a process of Discover, Design and Deliver – involving interviewing key people, developing a recommendations report and delivering on the recommendations. The level of engagement depends on the size, complexity and risk of the transaction.
You wouldn’t buy a second-hand car without lifting the hood for a comprehensive pre-purchase inspection.
“Given many buyers/investors will say the success of an acquisition/investment is often down to the quality of people, why then, when writing a cheque for 10s or 100s of millions of dollars, would they not engage a third party to conduct people due diligence on key management and board members as part of their investment process?”
Matt Rogers, Allunga Advisory
What do these people risks mean for you?
Whether you’re buying, selling, investing or scaling a business, people risks will impact you. They can happen at any stage of the transaction - early stage of enquiry, pre-deal, during the transaction or post-integration or investment. They often manifest as decision stalemate, leadership tensions, culture clashes, limited capability, and lack of suitable successor readiness.
This is what not exploring and uncovering and mitigating the people risks can mean for you:
▲ Delayed decisions reduce momentum and value.
▲ Succession gaps threaten stability.
▲ Early behavioural issues escalate over time.
▲ Lack of clear leadership succession creates uncertainty.
▲ Team misalignment slows progress.
▲ Loss of key talent weakens continuity.
▲ Cultural differences complicate integration.
▲ Poor change management affects morale.
I can help you in 3 ways
Engagement can be at ANY stage, and the level of engagement and scope of works is dependent on complexity, size and risk of transaction.
The engagement may involve interviewing key stakeholders, coaching, workshops, feedback, reports.
People Due Diligence
Deep Due Diligence & Enquiry
Exploring
CEO capability; Early red flags; Assumptions; Accountability clarity; Owner/investor aspirations; Owner/investor expectations
Uncovering
CEO capability; Leadership vacuum; Succession readiness; Team dynamics; Talent flight risks; Board composition
People Change Management
Post-transaction, Planning & Integration
Planning
Executive coaching; Leadership capability; Succession planning; Retention strategies; Culture assessment; Employee impact; Talent mapping; Internal communications; Role clarity
Implementing
Executive coaching; Leadership capability; Succession management; Retention strategies; Culture integration; Change reinforcement; Org redesign; Internal communications; Role creation
Circuit Breaker
At any stage before, during or after a deal
Anyone experiencing:
unclear red flags, owner tensions, leadership misalignment, culture clashes, decision stalemates, sabotage, cold feet, uncertainty, anxiety, overwhelm, overstretched, out of depth, assumptions, emotional reactions, misalignment
What are the outcomes?
Protecting the investment.
Business stability.
Value preservation.
Delivering the deal.
Protecting the investment by removing the People Risks that derail the deal.
From derailing the deal
Decision stalemates
Reputational risk
Inadequate risk profile
Investment dilution
Early behavioural red flags
Emotional reactions
Burning valuable time
Leadership vacuum
Team tensions
Succession gap
Talent flight risks
Culture clashes
Employee impact
To delivering the deal
Faster, effective decisions
Reputational strength
More comprehensive due diligence
Value preservation
Data-led insights
Measured discussions
Optimising time
Leadership readiness
Team alignment and cohesion
Continuity protection
Retention strategy
Culture integration
Change reinforcement
How does it work?
Three steps to uncovering and mitigating the people risks in transactions.
Schedule a call
To uncover your specific people challenges and build an action plan for your business or investment.
Agree on the best approach for you
Each engagement and scope of works is dependent on complexity, size and risk of transaction.
Working together to mitigate people risks
Take action now, and together let’s uncover and address the people issues that are holding you and your business back.
