35+ countries · ge acquisition integration experience
HR due diligence for acquisitions and integrations.
Deals are underwritten on financials. The people risk that accompanies integration determines whether the deal actually delivers.
Where to start
Clients rarely say, “I need HR due diligence”. They describe a situation.
“We’re three months into an acquisition and only now discovering the HR liabilities.”
→ People & Governance Diagnostic
“Our target’s contracts, benefits, and entitlements don’t map cleanly onto ours across markets.”
→ People & Governance Diagnostic
“Leadership retention is the real risk here and nobody’s modelled it.”
→ Fractional HR Leadership
What’s actually happening
HR due diligence in cross-border deals is inconsistently applied, and the gaps are specific.
Financial and legal due diligence are standard practice. HR due diligence, especially across multiple jurisdictions, leaves gaps: statutory entitlements that differ by country and aren’t always visible in a data room, key-person retention risk that surfaces only after the deal is announced, and structural incompatibilities between the two organisations’ HR practices that nobody flagged.
The cost of skipping this isn’t abstract. It shows up as unbudgeted severance, unexpected statutory liabilities, or the departure of the people the acquirer actually wanted to retain, usually within the first six months post-close.
A strategic acquirer, a private equity buyer, and a carve-out each present different symptoms for the same underlying discipline: read the people risk with the same rigour applied to the financials, and sequence the integration so the risk is managed rather than discovered.
the engagement
Due diligence runs against the deal timeline, not a fixed schedule.
A focused review during the diligence window covers statutory and contractual exposures, leadership retention risk, and structural compatibility between the two organisations, followed by an integration plan that sequences the first 30, 60, and 90 days post-close. Where the deal spans multiple markets, the review is built market by market rather than assuming one jurisdiction’s practice applies across the rest.
Background
GROW HR Consulting is a fractional and interim HR leadership practice founded by Alf Carlesäter, who spent 13 years at GE across APAC and Sub-Saharan Africa managing HR infrastructure in 35+ countries, including direct involvement in acquisition integration, such as the Alstom Power acquisition, and later held senior roles at Meta and Braze. Engagements are scoped to the deal, not to a single geography, and travel internationally as required. Most due diligence engagements begin through a referral from a deal advisor, a board member, or a client on the buy side.
FAQ
What does HR due diligence actually cover?
Statutory and contractual entitlements by jurisdiction, leadership and key-person retention risk, and structural compatibility between the two organisations’ HR practices.
How long does an HR due diligence review take?
It runs against the deal timeline, usually structured to fit within the diligence window rather than as a standalone project.
Can this be done across multiple markets or countries at once?
Yes. Each market is reviewed on its own statutory and contractual terms rather than assuming one country’s practice generalises across the rest.
Is this only relevant before signing, or also for integration afterwards?
Both. The diligence findings feed directly into a post-close integration plan.
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