When considering mergers and acquisitions (M&A), security needs to be an important part of the financial and operational due diligence process. At Microsoft, the security organization does more than fulfill the traditional role of assessing risk. It seeks also to address questions about the speed and costs of integrating new resources and capabilities.
Geoff Belknap, CVP and operating CISO shares the questions he asks when considering when and how to integrate technologies with a merged or acquired company.
Key takeaways
Think about moving slowly with early integration with M&A. Here are some key questions to consider:
- What do we risk by combining tools or technical capabilities too quickly?
- Is the deal still valuable if we do not integrate systems?
- What operational safeguards and governance are needed?
