Discuss the strategic opportunities that might exist for MCC through this acquisition

CONTEXT

 

At the end of 2020, Australian construction firm MC Constructions (MCC) announced its acquisition of Singapore-based technology company SeniorConnect. Plans to integrate the business were stalled as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and SeniorConnect has therefore largely operated independently since the acquisition with the exception of creating consistency in some company policies and processes. Now, more than a year since the acquisition, MCC is reinitiating plans to integrate the SeniorConnect business.

 

In January 2022, MCC appointed Andi Lafley to the newly created role of Chief Strategy Officer.

 

Your task

 

You are a new Partner in your current Business Unit.

Your company have been asked to accommodate a last minute meeting request with the MCC Chief Strategy Officer Andi Lafley later today. There is an urgency to progress, and Andi’s EA would like to take advantage of a block of time that has recently become available in Andi’s calendar.

You have volunteered to attend this meeting with another Partner*. A meeting has been scheduled to allow you and your peer to prepare for this meeting.

 

  • Client meeting (role play) (30 mins): After your preparation time, you will have 30 minutes to conduct your meeting with the ‘client’ – the Chief Strategy Officer of MCC Andi Lafley.

Supporting information

  • Attachment 1: Information about the meeting with MCC
  • Attachment 2: MCC and SeniorConnect Information Pack
  • Attachment 3: Outputs from a brief desktop review conducted by a graduate

 

 

 

Attachment 1

Information about the meeting with MCC

 

Subject: Meeting

 

Hi – thanks for accommodating this meeting at short notice – we really wanted to take advantage of Andi’s availability today.

 

Andi has requested that I provide you with the following notes about what they would like to cover at the meeting but wanted me to let you know that they are also happy to be guided by your team as to what is covered. Given integration of SeniorConnect was impacted by COVID, there is a strong sense of wanting to regain momentum, so we are keen to understand which professional services partners may be able to partner with MCC on this journey.

 

Andi has shared the following objectives for the conversation:

 

  • Discuss the strategic opportunities that might exist for MCC through this acquisition
  • Meet some members of your firm who may be working with us if we were to appoint you as a trusted supplier
  • Anything else you wish to present or discuss

 

I attach our information pack which we have circulated to interested suppliers in advance of these preliminary conversations.

 

Thanks again,

EA to Chief Strategy Officer

 

Attachment 2

 

MCC and SeniorConnect Information Pack

Overview

 

MCC has historically specialised in medium density residential builds. Recently, industry issues related to construction standards, oversupply and combustible cladding to name a few, have significantly impacted MCC’s pipeline and profitability. These challenges have been exacerbated by COVID-19. Prior to the pandemic MCC had refreshed its 2025 strategy and the key pillars of that strategy were cost leadership and expansion into emerging markets.

MCC acquired SeniorConnect at the end of 2020.

Founded in 2012, SeniorConnect’s mission is to use technology to drive wellbeing, connection and quality of life for older people. Its core business – Networks – connects seniors to assisted living, leisure and wellbeing services in their area (creating a ‘virtual retirement village’). In 2016 it established a Devices division in response to growing interest in the role of technology in aged care.

Headquartered in Singapore, SeniorConnect has experienced strong growth particularly as consumers and their families are more digitally literate than ever before, and have strong preferences (and in south-east Asia, cultural expectations) to ‘age in place’. SeniorConnect has had some success in the nearby markets, but has been interested in expanding in Australia and New Zealand for some time.

The acquisition of SeniorConnect represents MCC’s aspiration to disrupt the global residential aged care marketplace through a ‘home first’ model – luxury residential apartments which happen to be enabled through technology to support older people to age in place, with onsite healthcare and social support. MCC has previously been focused on the provision of mid-market residential and retail builds. The new strategic direction would involve leveraging this construction capability, and building new capability in smarthome and telehealth specifically related to ageing and senior living.

Full integration of SeniorConnect was stalled during 2021 and aside from the implementation of some MCC policies and processes, SeniorConnect has continued to operate largely independently. There was a significant increase in demand for SeniorConnect services due to the pandemic and seniors spending more time at home.

MCC is looking for a commercially-savvy and future-focused partner to support us in successfully defining and executing the new business direction in light of the acquisition. There is a desire to move at pace, having lost a year of momentum as a result of the pandemic. As the scope of work is by its nature, likely to be dynamic, the preference is to partner with a smaller number of providers who can support across the spectrum of likely services and supports over time rather to engage with a larger number of niche providers.