Andrea Schmitt, Autor bei Rosenberg Strategic Communications

Between transaction and transformation – Why M&A communication determines the success of an acquisition

Andrea Schmitt — Tue, 02 Sep 2025 11:33:00 +0000

Die Märkte sind wieder in Bewegung. Nach einem verhaltenen Transaktionsjahr 2023 zog die M&A-Aktivität im Laufe von 2024 spürbar an. Dieser Trend hat sich laut einer aktuellen Analyse von Bain & Company im ersten Halbjahr 2025 nochmals verstärkt – insbesondere bei grenzüberschreitenden Transaktionen im europäischen Mittelstand. Treiber sind unter anderem sinkende Zinsen, ein anhaltender Konsolidierungsdruck in mehreren Branchen sowie das zunehmende Engagement von Private-Equity-Investoren. Auch wenn der Transaktionsprozess wieder an Tempo gewinnt, bleibt die Kommunikation in vielen Fällen eine unterschätzte Herausforderung.

Der kritische Faktor Kommunikation

M&A-Transaktionen sind selten nur wirtschaftliche Ereignisse. Sie sind strategische Zäsuren, die Identitäten verändern – intern wie extern. Für die Mitarbeitenden steht oft die Zukunft ihrer Arbeitsplätze im Raum, für Kund:innen, Investor:innen und Lieferanten die Frage nach Stabilität und Kontinuität. Und für Medien und Politik eröffnen sich neue Interpretationsräume, die je nach Tonlage den Kursverlauf oder das Employer Branding beeinflussen können.
Gerade in Phasen erhöhter Unsicherheit kommt es darauf an, dass Unternehmen nicht nur kommunizieren – sondern koordiniert, strategisch und vorausschauend kommunizieren. Wer die Deutungshoheit nicht verliert, hat bessere Chancen, Vertrauen aufzubauen und Reibungsverluste zu minimieren.

Case in Point: Viessmann und Carrier Global

Ein Beispiel, das die Bedeutung professioneller M&A-Kommunikation unterstreicht, lieferte 2023 die Übernahme des Wärmepumpengeschäfts von Viessmann durch den US-Konzern Carrier Global. Während wirtschaftlich sinnvoll, stieß der Verkauf in Deutschland auf mediale und politische Kritik – von “Ausverkauf” war die Rede. Erst ein intensiver Kommunikationsnachlauf inklusive Interviews, Familienstatements und politischer Einordnung konnte das Stimmungsbild nachhaltig drehen.

Kommunikation als Integrationsmotor

M&A-Kommunikation endet nicht mit der Unterschrift unter dem Kaufvertrag. Sie begleitet die gesamte Transaktion – von der ersten Marktgerüchte-Phase über die interne und externe Bekanntgabe bis hin zur Integration. Dabei gilt es, drei Dimensionen gleichermaßen zu steuern:

Interne Kommunikation: Mitarbeitende frühzeitig einbinden, Ängste adressieren, Führungskräfte zu Multiplikatoren machen.
Kapitalmarkt- und Medienkommunikation: Narrative entwickeln, die strategische Logik und Synergien klar vermitteln – ohne in PR-Sprache zu verfallen.
Kommunikation in der Integration: Transparente Change-Kommunikation, kulturelle Sensibilität und regelmäßiger Fortschrittsdialog sind entscheidend, um aus zwei Unternehmen eines zu machen.

M&A-Transaktionen verlaufen selten reibungslos – erst recht nicht auf kommunikativer Ebene. Wer die Kommunikation frühzeitig mitdenkt und strukturiert aufsetzt, schafft bessere Voraussetzungen für eine reibungsarme Transaktion und eine erfolgreiche Integration. Gerade in komplexen Stakeholder-Umfeldern kann eine gut abgestimmte Kommunikationsstrategie dazu beitragen, Unsicherheiten zu reduzieren, Missverständnisse zu vermeiden und Vertrauen aufzubauen.

Der Beitrag Between transaction and transformation – Why M&A communication determines the success of an acquisition erschien zuerst auf Rosenberg Strategic Communications.

Strategic Communication After a Cyberattack in the Automotive Industry

Andrea Schmitt — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 13:12:13 +0000

In spring 2024, a mid-sized automotive supplier became the target of a ransomware attack. The company, with 340 employees, operates three production sites in Germany and has sales offices abroad. With annual revenues of €60 million, it is a key player in its segment.

The Cyberattack

The ransomware attack was discovered when production systems suddenly became inaccessible. All systems and data were affected, resulting in a complete production shutdown. The situation was critical and required immediate action.

Our Role

We were brought in by the crisis response manager to join the task force. Our responsibility: to coordinate internal and external communication. This included messaging for suppliers, customers – especially key accounts such as OEMs – as well as employees.

The Challenges

Communicating during and after the attack posed significant challenges. The pressure on the company was intense, and inquiries were coming from all sides. It was essential to clearly define who needed to know what – and when.

We had to act under extreme time pressure, ensure compliance with legal requirements, and maintain alignment between all stakeholders – including IT, executive leadership, and legal counsel.

Our Communication Strategy

We implemented a tailored communication strategy based on a strict “need-to-know” principle. Each stakeholder received only the information relevant to them. This helped reduce friction, manage expectations, and relieve executive leadership to focus on restoring operations.

Communication was delivered through written statements and direct verbal messaging by senior leaders.

The Outcome

Our support enabled leadership to fully focus on the technical recovery. Our comprehensive communications approach built trust by ensuring a unified voice across all channels.

Stakeholders responded positively. The company maintained valuable relationships, reduced internal communication workloads, avoided negative media coverage, and returned to business operations as swiftly as possible.

Integrated Expertise – Working with Leading Experts

We work closely with top-tier IT forensic and damage control specialists to offer holistic communication solutions. This interdisciplinary approach ensures all aspects of a cyberattack are addressed – with comprehensive, reliable support.

Tailored Solutions

Every cyberattack is unique and requires a customized communication strategy. We develop tailored plans that meet each client’s specific needs, using proven methods and best practices refined over years of experience.

Crisis Communication

In a crisis, clarity and consistency are key. We help our clients design and implement effective crisis communication strategies. This includes messaging for internal and external audiences – employees, customers, suppliers, media, and regulatory bodies. Our goal: preserve trust and protect reputation.

Training & Preparedness

Beyond consulting, we offer workshops and simulations to prepare companies for special situations like cyberattacks. Training covers crisis communication, media management, internal coordination, and response processes – helping organizations become crisis-resilient.

Long-Term Partnership

Our commitment doesn’t end with the crisis. We partner with our clients over the long term – reviewing and refining strategies regularly to ensure continued preparedness for future incidents.

Proven Impact

Our track record speaks for itself. We’ve helped numerous companies navigate cyber crises successfully, protect their reputations, and emerge stronger. Our clients value our composure under pressure and our ability to deliver results when it matters most.

Der Beitrag Strategic Communication After a Cyberattack in the Automotive Industry erschien zuerst auf Rosenberg Strategic Communications.

Reality Check in Crisis Management

Andrea Schmitt — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 12:39:41 +0000

Polycrises Are the New Reality — Preparedness Is No Longer Optional

Airports around the world experience system outages. Thousands of travellers are stranded. Aircraft remain grounded, customer-service capacities are overwhelmed, and social media channels erupt within minutes. Scenarios like these are precisely what major travel companies must be prepared for — not at some point in the future, but at any moment.

For leading tour operators, which enable millions of holiday journeys each year, crises are not theoretical exercises. They are an inherent part of operating in a highly interconnected, global environment. Yet even the most experienced organisations increasingly confront a fundamental question:

How prepared are we really — in light of the new international standard for crisis management, ISO 22361?

Large-scale travel organisations have invested in sophisticated crisis-management capabilities for many years. Dedicated core teams of experienced specialists operate year-round and can rapidly be reinforced by broader pools of functional and business leaders when circumstances require. The result is often a highly developed system with substantial operational depth and organisational reach.

However, the publication of DIN EN ISO 22361 in February 2023 introduced a new perspective. The key question was no longer whether a crisis-management system existed, but whether existing practices reflected what is now considered international best practice.

ISO 22361 extends well beyond traditional crisis structures and response mechanisms. It places greater emphasis on systemic thinking, governance frameworks, organisational learning, leadership effectiveness, and the ability to adapt crisis-management capabilities to an organisation’s specific context and risk profile.

A Reality Check for a Mature Crisis Organisation

Even the most advanced crisis-management systems benefit from periodic external scrutiny.

This is where the collaboration between organisations and Rosenberg Strategic Communications begins.

The objective is not to redesign or replace existing crisis-management structures. Rather, it is to conduct an independent, evidence-based assessment that evaluates:
The extent to which the organisation already aligns with the requirements and principles of ISO 22361.
Which elements of the standard are genuinely relevant from a business and operational perspective.
Where existing structures, governance mechanisms and processes can be further strengthened or refined.

A critical aspect of this work is distinguishing between theoretical compliance and practical relevance. Not every requirement within a global standard is equally meaningful for every organisation.

Rosenberg helps leadership teams make these distinctions deliberately and transparently through a structured methodology tailored to the realities of globally operating travel businesses. The result is a pragmatic and fact-based “reality check” that focuses on what truly matters rather than pursuing compliance for its own sake.

Strong Foundations, Targeted Enhancements

Such assessments typically confirm a high degree of organisational maturity, particularly in areas such as leadership, governance, operational responsiveness and crisis coordination.
At the same time, they often identify opportunities for targeted improvement, including:

Further formalisation of governance structures in line with ISO 22361.
Refinement of crisis-communication strategies in response to evolving digital and social-media dynamics.
More systematic learning mechanisms derived from both real-world incidents and crisis simulations.

Findings are documented in a structured manner and reviewed with senior management through dedicated workshops. This allows organisations not only to evaluate the effectiveness of their current capabilities, but also to define targeted initiatives that strengthen resilience and future readiness.

When Expertise Meets Reality

In an era characterised by geopolitical uncertainty, climate-related disruptions, technological dependencies and increasing global mobility, crisis management is no longer a defensive function.

It is a strategic capability.

Assessing an organisation against ISO 22361 is therefore not a sign of weakness. On the contrary, it reflects organisational maturity and leadership confidence: the willingness to subject established practices to rigorous, objective evaluation and to continuously improve.

Rosenberg Strategic Communications supports organisations through a structured, business-specific approach rather than off-the-shelf solutions — always with a clear focus on what genuinely creates resilience, strengthens decision-making and enhances organisational readiness when it matters most.

Der Beitrag Reality Check in Crisis Management erschien zuerst auf Rosenberg Strategic Communications.

Restructuring Under Intense Public Scrutiny

Andrea Schmitt — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 12:40:00 +0000

An internationally active German technology group experienced years of rapid growth, driven by bold investments, expansion into new business segments, and an increasingly complex corporate structure. However, external market shifts combined with operational and financial challenges required a fundamental strategic realignment. As a publicly listed company, swift and decisive action was critical. The chosen solution: a comprehensive balance sheet and operational restructuring – legally safeguarded under the German Corporate Stabilization and Restructuring Act (StaRUG).

Diverging Stakeholder Interests in a High-Stakes Environment

The restructuring took place in a highly sensitive landscape marked by conflicting interests and complex dependencies. Key stakeholders included: Institutional investors, Hedge funds and short-sellers, Suppliers and customers, Employees and labor representatives, Political bodies and ministries (including those distributing subsidies) and Vocal shareholder associations with strong media presence

The situation grew more complex with the involvement of a major client, who eventually became a shareholder during the process. The key challenge: to navigate this web of interests with a solution that was legally sound, economically viable, and communicatively coherent.

Build Trust, Manage Risk

The goal was to proactively identify risks, manage stakeholder expectations, and minimize reputational and regulatory fallout. Even before the official restructuring procedure was launched, speculation about the company’s financial state and restructuring options began to intensify.
To maintain control, it was essential to:

Provide targeted clarifications to key audiences
Strategically inform the media
Actively manage expectations across stakeholder groups
Preserve internal and external trust through coordinated messaging

Structured Communications Along the Legal Process

In close coordination with the company’s leadership, legal advisors, and financial consultants, Rosenberg Strategic Communications developed and executed a comprehensive communication strategy aligned with the procedural milestones. A coordinated roadmap was defined, covering procedural communication under StaRUG, Ad-hoc disclosures, Extraordinary general meetings and Delisting communications. Contingency plans were also created to address crisis communication scenarios, media escalations and political/regulatory inquiries.

RosenbergSC anchored the communication strategy in three core principles:

Risk Control
Proactive handling of rumors and critical media narratives through background briefings and fast, factual responses.
Clarity & Direction
Delivering consistent, understandable messages with a clear logic across all communication phases.
Narrative Leadership
Positioning the company as acting independently, within legal frameworks, and in transparent dialogue with all relevant stakeholders. This narrative was consistently reinforced across all internal and external channels.

Communication Enables Action

In complex restructurings involving multiple audiences and public attention, strategic communication is a core lever of success. Through disciplined messaging, stakeholder trust, and legal alignment, RosenbergSC helped turn a crisis into a controlled transformation process.

Der Beitrag Restructuring Under Intense Public Scrutiny erschien zuerst auf Rosenberg Strategic Communications.