When a company acquires or merges with another, the integration of IT departments and software systems presents significant challenges. Beyond the organizational and procedural complexities, it also raises critical issues around risk and security. As a global company, DSV’s SAM department has successfully navigated numerous mergers and acquisitions in recent years, establishing a flexible framework that can be tailored to the unique needs of each case. In this session, Katarzyna will share insights on how to approach M&A from a SAM perspective, providing a comprehensive framework that covers key steps, milestones, and common pitfalls. Attendees will learn how to assess, integrate, and align software assets from acquired companies, ensuring compliance, optimizing usage, and reducing risk. The presentation will also highlight the importance of cross-functional collaboration across IT teams to manage data migration securely and efficiently, protect IT infrastructure and maintain business continuity during the integration process. In this session, you will learn:

• How can you effectively assess and integrate software assets during M&A while ensuring compliance and optimizing usage
• How do you manage security risks and data migration during M&A to protect your IT infrastructure and maintain business continuity
• How can cross-functional collaboration across IT operations teams help streamline the SAM integration process and avoid common pitfalls

Internal audits are not just about routine compliance—they are a powerful tool for proactively preparing your organization to navigate external audits with confidence. The discussion will explore strategies for using internal audits to maintain up-to-date intelligence on software usage, terms, and conditions, and to identify potential gaps in compliance before they escalate into costly issues. Internal audits also play a critical role in uncovering compliance risks not only from major vendors but also from smaller software providers that are often overlooked. Participants will examine how proactive audits can uncover shadow IT risks, validate data accuracy, and provide actionable insights to strengthen organizational defenses against aggressive publisher audits.