Clients Originating Projects

Corporate Merger and Acquisition Teams and Consultants

Corporate Merger and Acquisition teams and consultants usually originate projects within the organization. We work with Merger & Acquisition teams seeking Project Planning Support during deal assessment and outsourced project execution during integration of target organizations.

The challenges our clients face

After defining a winning strategy or innovative idea, the challenge of execution sets in.
Balancing the need for a well-functioning project delivery capability; however, it does not justify running their own dedicated in-house PMO.
The lack of accountable traction and stakeholder alignment for high benefit projects.
The flexible nature of project demand on skilled project resource capacity when they do not have strong internal capability.

How we help

Mobilizing projects by aligning stakeholders, defining objectives and creating execution traction.
Our "PMO-in-a-Box" solution includes project and PMO frameworks, methods, governance standards, and structures deployed on our PMO reporting & collaboration platform for the duration of the programme or period required.
Mobilizing strategic programmes in a way that brings clarity, alignment and traction fast.
Access to no-nonsense, outsourced project delivery resources that drive project execution for strategic programmes and match the peaks and valleys in demand.

“Colab did such a great job with our acquisition project that the leadership team was adamant that they run the integration project as well. We’ve been doing business with Colab since 2016 using various people from them. Graeme Eddey – ICT Segment CEO – Reunert

Are you and your team optimizing your time to drive value for your company?

Lack of alignment between various subject matter professional teams each following their own approach in complex transactions.

Need for an integrated plan to align internal & external stakeholders and service providers, serving the client objectives against urgent timelines.

Flexible nature of project demand on skilled project resources.

Need for a well-functioning project delivery capability against a flexible transaction timeline.

Enable yourself, your team, and your business to thrive with our support. Our South African-based team combines the benefits of world-class skills and expertise with a unique work ethic and our signature Best Practical™ approach.

Our Services

Colab provides our clients with innovative strategy consulting, project delivery and execution services, comprehensive project portfolio management and tailored talent solutions, all supported by our unique Best-Practical™ approach.

Strategic Thinking, Strategy Development and Execution Planning

Colab assists you in thinking through your ideas, connecting various elements of your core ideology, business model, value creation model, operating model, financial model, as well as your capital funding model at business, team, and individual levels.

Explore how we assist clients with strategic thinking, strategy development and execution planning.

Strategic Capability
Development

Colab utilizes data analysis, surveys, interviews, and capability inspections to create an X-Ray view of capability. This X-Ray is then evaluated in the form of a blueprint heatmap, indicating the health status of each component and where to focus.

Explore how we assist clients with strategic capability development.

Strategic Project
Delivery

Colab focuses on delivering project benefits by emphasizing key attributes that have proven successful since 2008, across more than 600 projects. We are uniquely positioned to take on tough projects. We bring in our own PMO environment, deploy strong resources, and create structure and traction to achieve project success.

Explore how we assist clients with strategic project delivery.

Project and PMO Consulting
and Services

Colab can create a new PMO, refresh an existing one, or retrofit components as needed. Our PMO-in-a-box offering, or tailored designs, can help you gain traction with your PMO and portfolio of projects.

Explore how we assist clients with Project and PMO consulting and services.

Project Team
Augmentation

Colab offers highly skilled contract and permanent project professionals who seamlessly integrate with your team dynamics. This flexible execution capacity allows you to scale effectively and achieve strategic outcomes with ease.

Explore how we assist clients with Project team augmentation.

Offshore Project
Resourcing

Colab offers highly skilled project resources to execute projects in the EMEA and South African time zones, using a remote model for organizations with a portfolio of projects and a functional PMO capability.

Explore how we assist clients with Offshore Project Resourcing.

“Collaborating with Corporate Mergers & Acquisition Teams is always an exhilarating experience for us. These teams are at the forefront of shaping the future, driving growth through strategic acquisitions and mergers. Their unique challenge of having to align the executive leaders from target companies, various service providers each following their own approach, and internal client stakeholders against an extremely tight deadline, makes for a situation where Colab thrives through seamless integration. We are passionate about supporting these teams in navigating the complexities of M&A Implementation planning and execution. Together, we create a foundation for sustained success and transformative growth. Barend Cronjé – Founder & CEO of the Colab Group

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you engage with your clients?

We offer a range of engagement options tailored to your needs. Options include modular consultant-led engagements, managed strategic consulting service, project delivery services, as well as project resourcing services for the South African and EMEA business communities. These engagement models can easily be combined or tailored to suit your needs.

Your team is based in South Africa, so how do your working hours align with EMEA?

Our team is based in South Africa, which aligns closely with EMEA. We align our team’s contractual working hours to that of our clients.

How does Colab manage remote working?

Colab has embraced remote working since 2020. Our aim is to become a natural extension of your team, which works best with regular and real-time communication. This can be through email, Microsoft Teams, phone calls, or other forms of communication that suit you and your team. Additionally, having a consultant who works remotely offers the benefit of increased flexibility and access to a broader talent pool, ensuring you get the best expertise regardless of location.

You are based in South Africa, but will we have an opportunity to meet you in person if we’re in EMEA?

While our client delivery team is based in South Africa, we regularly visit EMEA to meet with both existing and potential new clients. We always welcome the chance to meet face-to-face, as it helps us build stronger relationships with our clients, in addition to helping us better understand how we can serve you.

How does Colab handle confidentiality and conflict of interest?

We take confidentiality and conflict of interest very seriously. Our employees are bound by individual confidentiality agreements and declarations of interest in their employment contracts with Colab. Additionally, we recommend that our clients have Colab resources sign non-disclosure agreements during their onboarding process when they join the client team as contract resources.

What is the Best-Practical™ approach?

The Colab Best-Practical™ approach is our trademarked framework, and is characterised by simplicity value extraction and light governance suited to the client environment. We take best practices and tailor them to practical use, while we skilfully facilitate the best solution for our client’s needs.

Can Colab help us develop our business strategy?

Yes, certainly! We assist you in thinking through your ideas, connecting various elements of your core ideology, business model, value creation model, Go to Market (GTM), operating model, financial model, as well as your capital funding model at the business, team, and individual levels. We employ short, modular engagements to diagnose the current situation, analyze data from existing practices, and co-create conceptual solutions, ultimately generating traction to move the idea to implementation.

We already have a business strategy, but we’re struggling to execute it. Can Colab help us prioritize?

Yes, absolutely! Colab specializes in helping businesses to break down their overall strategy into manageable chunks, using our Best-Practical™ prioritization approach and innovation frameworks. Furthermore, Colab will help you execute and deliver the projects and programmes following from the strategy, as well as track the performance of the strategy execution.

We’re losing track of all the projects in our business. Can Colab help us?

For sure! Setting up strategic benefit realization roadmaps, capital funding roadmaps, resource capacity plans, project progress registers and prioritizing projects that will deliver the most business value, is our forte. Also, in addition to delivering projects, Colab also specializes in project performance tracking. We make your project investment performance visible.

What does Colab do differently?

At Colab we believe in our Best-Practical™ approach, which is characterized by traction, simplicity, and light governance. This enables you, our client, to execute your strategy faster and reach profitability sooner. Our facilitative approach enables us to lead our clients to unlock benefits as we partner with you through the transformation journey.

What sets Colab apart in Project Delivery?

Colab was founded on the principle of delivering tangible project results, not just managing project activities. This ethos is embedded in our culture of taking ownership for outcomes, understanding our customers’ needs, being transparent, and caring for people.

What are Colab’s areas of expertise in Project Delivery?

We tackle the challenging strategic projects that drive significant organizational change. Our expertise lies in Business Transformation projects, ICT Projects, and Merger & Acquisition projects.

Can Colab take on difficult projects?

Colab is uniquely positioned to take on tough projects. We bring in our own PMO environment, deploy strong resources, and create structure and traction to achieve project success. This approach means we create some initial discomfort as we move the organization, but the benefits of our methods soon become evident in the integrated team.

How does Colab set up successful projects?

At Colab, we use a structured, facilitated approach that sets up challenging projects for success within a month, incorporating all the essential components needed for successful execution. This method is the fastest way to transition a project from stagnation to productive momentum, reducing the lengthy and often painful planning phase.

Can Colab set up a new PMO?

Yes, certainly! Whether your need is for a large or small business, a strategic portfolio office, a large program office, or an operational project office, Colab can assist. We can create a new PMO, refresh an existing one, or retrofit components as needed. Our PMO-in-a-box offering, or tailored designs, can help you gain traction with your PMO and portfolio of projects.

What roles do Colab specialize in for Team Augmentation?

In addition to specializing in PMO and Project Management roles, such as Programme Managers, Heads of PMO, PMO Managers, PMO Specialists, Project Planners, Project Managers, Scrum Masters, Project Administrators, and others, we also specialize in various other IT roles, such as Business Analysts, Process Engineers, Data Engineers, Software Developers, Solutions Architects, Data Analysts, and the like. In short any role that a project needs for a period of time.

What are the benefits of using contract resources?

Utilizing contract resources allows you, as a business leader, to maintain a flexible, off-payroll workforce that can scale according to your demand needs. This flexibility enables you to focus on driving strategic results. Additionally, contract placements simplify recruitment and help reduce the risk of costly mis-hires.

Does Colab offer only contract placements, or do they also provide permanent placements?

We offer both contract and permanent placements, depending on our clients’ needs. We also offer a temp-to-perm option.

How long will it take to place a contract resource at my company?

Our aim is to have a shortlist of top candidates on your desk within 7 days from date of enquiry, then it depends on your internal commercial and interview processes and the availability of the chosen resource. We have placed people within one week but typically it can take between 2 and 7 weeks to place a contractor.

Will I need to sift through a stack of CVs to find the best candidate?

No, Colab handles that for you. We take the stack of CVs off your desk and onto ours. After a thorough screening process, we use our proprietary matching model to send you only the top 3 CVs for the position.

Can I appoint a contract resource permanently?

Yes, that is the benefit of the temp-to-perm model. You can start by appointing a resource on contract, and if the individual is a good fit for your company culture and way of working, you can go ahead with a permanent placement.

How can I get started?

Simply complete the Contact form below, and one of our managers will contact you shortly. You will experience that it’s easy to do business with Colab.

Contact Us

Contact us for the Best Practical™ solutions you need to enable you to achieve strategic goals, deliver successful projects, and scale project teams effectively.

We work with Corporate Strategy & Innovation teams, Business Transformation teams, Corporate M&A teams, Project Delivery and Execution (PMO) teams, and Strategy & Capability Development consultants seeking innovative strategies, project delivery, and project talent solutions in South Africa and EMEA.