Acquisition Process: Communications
Communications is part of our acquisition process. The Corporate Development Champion will set up a dedicated slack channel (format: #p-project_name-communications
)
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Key points to consider prior to the closing of the acquisition
- If we will make a formal announcement via press release
- If we will announce as part of an earnings call
- Media strategy (proactive or reactive-only)
- Timing
- Key messaging
- When key team members and relevant EBAs are notified
- External spokesperson or spokespeople
- If an internal and/or external FAQ are/is warranted
- DRI for each team mentioned below
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Assets and owners
- Blog Post
- Responsible Team: Communications Team
- Reviewers and Approvers
- Communications
- Product Champion
- Product Marketing
- Legal
- Corporate Development Champion
- Acquired Company (review only; final approval is with GitLab)
- Press Release
- Responsible Team: Communications Team
- Reviewers and Approvers
- Communications
- Product Champion
- Product Marketing
- Legal
- Corporate Development Champion
- Finance/Investor Relations
- Acquired Company (review only; final approval is with GitLab)
- Internal FAQ
- Responsible Team: People Team/Talent Brand & Engagement
- Reviewers and Approvers
- People Team/Talent Brand & Engagement
- Product Champion
- Engineering Champion
- Product Marketing
- Legal
- Corporate Development Champion
- Company-wide internal Slack Message
- Responsible Team: People Team/Talent Brand & Engagement
- Reviewers and Approvers
- People Team/Talent Brand & Engagement
- Product Champion
- Product Marketing
- Legal
- Corporate Development Champion
- Field Communications & FAQ
- Responsible Team: Field Communications Team
- Reviewers and Approvers
- Field Communications
- Product Champion
- Product Marketing
- Integrated Marketing
- Legal
- Corporate Development Champion
- #Field-FYI Internal Slack message
- Responsible Team: Field Communications Team
- Reviewers and Approvers
- Field Communications
- Product Champion
- Product Marketing
- Legal
- Corporate Development Champion
- Website Banner for Acquired Company
- Responsible Team: Digital Experience Team
- Reviewers and Approvers
- Digital Experience Team
- Legal
- Corporate Development Champion
- Acquired Company (review only; final approval is with GitLab)
- Corporate Social Posts
- Responsible Team: Social Team
- Reviewers and Approvers
- Communications
- Product Champion
- Legal
- Corporate Development Champion
- AMA’s
- Responsible Team: People Team in collaboration with Product Management
- Reviewers and Approvers
- Communications
- Product Champion
- Media Coverage Report
- Responsible Team: Communications
- Analyst Communications
- Responsible Team: Analyst Relations
- Reviewers and Approvers
- Analyst Relations
- Communications
- Blog Post
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Run of show and process checklist for day of the announcement
- Adjust company name from code name to real name in all materials (all DRIs for respective materials)
- Push blog post live (content team)
- Notify Nasdaq of upcoming press release (comms team)
- Submit release to GlobeNewswire; press release crosses wire with blog post linked within (comms team)
- Post press release on GitLab’s IR site (comms team)
- Post press release on GitLab’s newsroom (comms team)
- Post internal Slack message to #company-fyi Slack channel (corporate development / people team)
- Publish social posts from GitLab and acquired company’s handles (social team + acquired company leadership)
- Issue field communications to team via Slack and upload to HighSpot (field communications team)
- Pitch media if outbound media relations are planned (communications team)
- Push banner live on acquired company’s website (DEX in partnership with acquired company)
- Flag/post GitLab e-group social media commentary (social team + e-group members)
- Host AMA for EMEA and US East Coast team members (people team in partnership with corporate development and product)
- Host second AMA for APJ time zones (people team in partnership with corporate development and product)
- Share media coverage recap with stakeholders, including in acquisition working group and e-group channels (comms team)
- Reach out to relevant analysts, if appropriate (analyst relations)
- Either port to Gitlab or deactivate acquired company’s social channels, depending on volume of followers (social team)
- Retro of announcement and process (corporate development team)
Last modified April 12, 2024: Update naming convention to align with designated deal roles (
7fbf95ed
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