Why it matters

Acquisitions create value when customer-facing capabilities are combined in practice, not only when formal governance catches up. This case shows how cross-border collaboration created customer value before the integration model was fully mature.

Starting point

After Drake & Farrell joined a larger European logistics group, formal governance and integration structures were still developing. At the same time, customers already presented opportunities to combine the capabilities of the German and Dutch businesses.

Mandate

David connected the relevant German and Dutch leaders around a concrete customer need. The mandate was to combine customer access and refurbishment expertise without creating confusion over ownership, customer relationships or delivery.

What changed

– Identified a practical customer opportunity.
– Brought the commercial and operational owners together.
– Clarified the contribution of each business.
– Converted refurbishment from an option into a practical service route.
– Used delivery work to build trust across the new group structure.

Value created

The collaboration created customer value and demonstrated group synergy before formal integration structures had fully matured. It also established a practical pattern for cross-border cooperation.

The teams learned to work across organisational boundaries with shared accountability and less concern for internal territory.