Securing & Creating Value
Manage I.T. with Confidence.
Our holistic lineup of solutions helps private equity firms manage their IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, Salesforce, and applications with confidence. Our comprehensive solutions are designed to streamline operations, reduce capital expenditures, ensure risk management and compliance, and deliver a higher return on investment.
I.T. CONSIDERATIONS BY DEAL STAGE
With Ascend, you can have confidence in the IT services for your firm and portfolio companies. Our experienced team of professionals will provide you with the highest quality IT solutions tailored to every M&A stage.
M&A Readiness
A comprehensive assessment should be conducted to identify any gaps or vulnerabilities in order to determine the necessary changes needed to ensure data security and compliance. A review of existing contracts and arrangements with external vendors should also be conducted to ensure that the services provided meet the organization‘s needs. Finally, it is important for organizations to have an incident response plan in place in case of a data breach or cyber attack.
Ascend provides insightful analytics and system scans to find red flags followed by risk and advisory consulting.
Acquisition
The first stages of IT evaluation and due diligence when buying a company include reviewing the target company’s financials, IT infrastructure, IT systems, and cybersecurity policies. Conducting a valuation analysis of the IT assets and ensuring that any changes or upgrades to the systems are noted in the agreement should be considered. Oftentimes due diligence is focused on the financial aspect of the acquisition. In reality, IT is the organization’s engine and needs to be thoroughly analyzed before purchase announcements are made to ensure uptime & minimize cyber threats.
Ascend provides IT migration and consolidation solutions to enable successful TSA completion.
Holding & Value Creation
The holding stage of a private equity investment presents an opportunity to add value to the company that was acquired. Through strategic initiatives, operational improvement, and investment in technology, cybersecurity, and people, the right private equity firm can secure and unlock significant value for the business.
Ascend sets you up for ongoing operation excellence with an optimized and secure run-state through checks and balances.
Carve-out
IT and cybersecurity considerations during carve–outs are especially important due to the split of resources between companies. Proper planning is needed to ensure that any shared infrastructure or services remain operational. In addition, proper onboarding and access rights need to be established for personnel in order to maintain data security and privacy. Finally, risk assessments should be conducted to identify areas of potential vulnerabilities or risks so that they can be mitigated.
Ascend establishes a division of IT assets and risk assessments to ensure a smooth transition.
Exit
The technology and cybersecurity strategies during the selling stage are essential for success. IT investments should be made to upgrade infrastructure and systems, while also keeping up with changing security needs. Policies and procedures should be in place to ensure that the company is appropriately protected from cyberattacks and data breaches. Finally, ongoing due diligence and risk assessment must be conducted to identify potential risks and vulnerabilities so that any necessary measures can be taken to protect the business and increase valuation.
Ascend handles risk, migrations, optimization, and standardization to ensure the business is valuable and can run on it’s own.
CURRENT CYBER RISK LANDSCAPE IN M&A
“Cyber risk should be reviewed as part of the diligence process to uncover red flags that could potentially be otherwise undiscovered until after a deal closes. This should be overseen by a team with business, operations, and IT experience to ensure a comprehensive understanding of how the target business operates and the various reasons they may fall into an unseemly security situation.”
2023 Private Equity Outlook | Read the full report
HOW PRIVATE EQUITY FIRMS ARE STAYING AHEAD OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION TO MAXIMIZE VALUE
Are you realizing the full value creation opportunity from your portfolio companies?
Private Equity is moving faster than ever and there’s more competition and uncertainty. Information technology is central to doing business today and the landscape is constantly changing while getting ever more complex. Digital transformation is on the tips of everyone’s tongues and yet it is perfectly unclear what it means for value creation to most private equity managing partners. Whether your next transaction is buy-side, sell-side, a carve out or a merger, understanding the risks and rewards that come with every investment move is crucial to positive financial results. Being confident in the technology due diligence and gaining economies of scale and synergies across your portfolio companies decreases costs and increases profits.
These are the questions managing partners need to be asking themselves today…
Running on Microsoft Software? Gain Comprehensive Security with Ascend Defend
Unlock the full potential of your investment with Ascend Defend, our comprehensive security package. Many of Microsoft’s security features are already built into your licensing, and with our expert team, we help you activate, manage, and monitor them to ensure you’re getting the most out of what you’re already paying for.
With our 24/7 managed service, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your systems are protected and optimized. Watch our on-demand webinar to see how we make the most of Microsoft’s powerful security tools!
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Ascend provide customized solutions for private equity firms?
As a PE-backed organization, we have years of experience in the private equity space and are knowledgeable in the latest technologies, to create a customized solution tailored to the needs of your firm or portfolio companies.
How do I get started with Ascend?
Getting started with Ascend is easy. Just contact us to set up a consultation, and our team of specialists will work with you to create a customized IT solution designed for current and future M&A stages
What kind of support do you offer?
Our team of experienced IT professionals will provide you with ongoing maintenance, database management, and support for your IT systems, as well as any additional services you may need.
Embrace Technology to Unlock value!
Contact us today to learn more about how Ascend can support and protect you and your PortCo’s. Together, we can drive growth and achieve greater success.
