Episode 344: How to Successfully Lead a Billion-Dollar Acquisition with Alyse Daghelian

Want to master the art of leading successful tech acquisitions? In this episode of The B2B Revenue Executive Experience, host Cory Cotten-Potter speaks with Alyse Daghelian, CRO at Rocket Software, to explore how she guided a $2.2B acquisition integrating 750+ employees.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why leading with empathy and culture is crucial when integrating acquired teams
• The "Welcome Home" framework for making newly acquired employees feel valued and heard
• How to structure intentional face-to-face meetings to build momentum and unite teams around common goals
• Why data-driven account planning combined with field-level relationships drives successful cross-selling
• How to maintain cultural values through significant organizational change

With a unique background in computer science, engineering, and sales leadership, Alyse brings over 25 years of experience from influential roles at IBM and ServiceNow. Prior to joining Rocket Software, she served as Global VP of Cloud Expert Services at IBM and Senior Vice President of Global Sales at ServiceNow.

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Building Culture with Empathy

A strong company culture, rooted in values like empathy, trust, and humanity, must be lived and led from the top down to truly shape team dynamics and long-term success. It's not just about having values written down; it's about weaving them into every decision, every hire, and every performance review. If your team can't clearly articulate and live your core values, it's time to reassess.

“If you don't have that top-down view of how to drive those values, then it gets disrupted, in the chain.”

Alyse Daghelian, CRO at Rocket Software

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Rocket Software’s $2.2B Acquisition

Rocket Software’s recent $2.2 billion acquisition of Micro Focus assets marked a transformative leap in their ability to support enterprise modernization from mainframe to hybrid cloud. With over 750 experienced professionals joining the team, the acquisition was about finding the right cultural fit. Alyse highlights that integrating teams smoothly and preserving shared values was just as vital as the tech itself, ensuring continuity and trust for their Fortune 500 clients.

“It was really important that it was a match culturally because if it didn't really match our culture and values, I think this thing could have gone sideways really easily, and it didn't.”

Alyse Daghelian, CRO at Rocket Software

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Unifying Sales Teams Post-Acquisition

When bringing together teams from different company cultures, start by leading with empathy and values. Alyse focused on making people feel genuinely welcomed and heard right from day one, prioritizing an excellent onboarding experience, in-person bonding time, and clear communication on a unified vision. Her approach helped turn two companies into one team, fueled by connection, clarity, and a shared mission.

“We just decided upfront. We had a lot of empathy for the situation, and our message to them was welcome home. This is where you belong.”

Alyse Daghelian, CRO at Rocket Software

‍Now that you know how to lead successful tech acquisitions, discover the full list of episodes at The B2B Revenue Executive Experience. If you enjoy the show, instructions to rate and review it are found here.