Turning a transatlantic acquisition into a lever for growth and positioning
A Quebec engineering consulting firm specializing in energy performance and building decarbonization, Akonovia was reaching a defining moment in its growth with the acquisition of tbmaestro, a French-Canadian company that helps its clients manage their real estate portfolios sustainably. The transaction broadened its offering, its geographic footprint and its growth prospects, while changing the way the company could present itself in both markets, in Quebec and in France.
Beyond the announcement itself, this change of scale was an opportunity to bring complementary expertise together and to assert Akonovia’s place as an integrated firm, able to meet growing needs in the sustainable performance of buildings and assets between Quebec and France.
The challenge
Long before the announcement reached the press and other external stakeholders, the change management that such a transformation brings had to be taken into account. A transition like the one Akonovia and tbmaestro were about to go through always raises a human question. Success in this kind of operation rests in large part on mobilizing the teams on both sides of the Atlantic, and on building a narrative strong enough to win support, sustain change management and create a culture of ambassadors.
It therefore seemed essential to bring the leadership teams of both entities into the steering committee in order to:
- properly prepare each stage of the announcement sequence
- build storytelling that would carry in both markets
- account for local realities and cultural differences
- anticipate the concerns employees were likely to have, so they could become positive stakeholders in this evolution
The acquisition also had to be announced simultaneously in Quebec and in France, to different audiences, markets and media ecosystems. The mandate called for far more than a launch strategy: it first meant analyzing each organization’s reputation in its market as well as the competition in place, then identifying reputational gaps and potential positioning opportunities. Next, within the steering committee, it was important to clarify the new value proposition, align the messages and coordinate public statements, while respecting each organization’s identity and local realities.
Strategic thinking and approach
Exponentiel’s thinking rested on one central idea: the acquisition should not be treated as a one-off piece of news, but as the starting point of lasting positioning. For many entrepreneurs, making an acquisition is an ambition and a milestone in their growth. Given the sums spent to bring such a project to completion — lawyers, tax specialists, accountants — the effort put into counsel, change management and communications should likewise be seen as an investment that maximizes the success of the operation.
Our role was therefore to step back from the transaction and define how Akonovia now wanted to be understood and recognized. The work had to make the new integrated offering easier to explain, bring out what sets it apart, and strengthen its capacity to be seen as a firm able to take on larger, more complex mandates.
Impact
Exponentiel’s support made it possible to move past the transaction itself and turn the acquisition into a genuine lever for positioning.
With the support of a collaborator based in Europe who specializes in the French market, Exponentiel acted as a strategic partner to the leadership teams, steering the transition and keeping the project coherent across both markets.
Akonovia now has a clearer story to present its evolution, bring its teams together and showcase how its areas of expertise complement one another in Quebec and in France.
The mandate also laid the groundwork for a coherent, lasting rollout, one able to evolve with business priorities, market reactions and opportunities for visibility.
Highlights
- Strategic counsel on change management and communications for the executive teams
- Management and coordination of the steering committee for the internal and external announcements of the acquisition
- Diagnosis and analysis of the company’s positioning and of its ecosystem, including its main competitors
- Shared storytelling and narrative to bring the teams together and clarify the new value proposition
- Digital strategy to carry the announcement across every platform
- A toolkit enabling leaders to carry the company’s positioning
- Coordinated announcements in France and Quebec, accounting for what makes each market distinct:
- An official announcement at VivaTech with several dignitaries, including the Québec Government Office in Paris and the Deputy Premier of Québec
- Coordination of positioning opportunities and public platforms around the announcement
- Outreach to the press and to other stakeholders
- An evolving strategic framework to support growth in Quebec and in France
The mandate is still under way and is currently focused on rolling out the positioning plan.
We were going through a pivotal moment in our growth. The acquisition in France led us to rethink how we presented our value, to our teams as much as to our partners and our markets. The challenge was not only to announce an acquisition, but to shift our posture. Exponentiel helped us step back, clarify our story and build coherent positioning capable of supporting our long-term ambitions.
The Exponentiel team combined rigour and agility to help us navigate different markets, taking into account the realities and particularities of each entity. They played a decisive role in building a compelling story, accounting for the realities and sensitivities of each market and identifying the best opportunities to support our visibility. They have been, and continue to be, a strategic ally in this period of our growth.