The Synergy Myth: Why 83% of UK M&A Deals Destroy Value
83% of M&A deals fail to deliver synergies. Stop gambling with investor capital and start prioritising operational integration.
UK M&A deal value hit £131bn in the first half of 2026. Yet KPMG data confirms that 83% of these deals fail to deliver the promised synergies. Synergy is the most abused word in the boardroom. It is often a polite term for value destruction.
The failure is rarely in the strategy. It is in the first 100 days of execution. Boards focus on the transaction and ignore the integration of controls and culture. The result is a 70% to 90% failure rate in creating shareholder value according to HBR benchmarks. If your M&A playbook does not prioritise operational audit readiness from day one, you are gambling with investor capital.
Execution is the only synergy that matters.
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