A tailored course, built for your situation
Mastering COBIT for M&A Due Diligence Practitioners
A structured approach to governance integration in high-stakes transactions
$199 one-time
24-hour access provisioning
30-day money-back guarantee
Hand-built implementation playbook
12 modules. 12 chapters per module. 144 chapters total.
12 modules, each with 12 chapters (144 chapters total), text-based, plus downloadable templates and a hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
Who this is for
Senior M&A practitioner at a global professional services firm, focused on IT governance, risk, and compliance assessment within acquisition targets
Who this is not for
Entry-level analysts, non-dillegence consultants, or professionals outside transaction advisory services
What you walk away with
- Ability to rapidly assess a target’s COBIT maturity level and identify material gaps affecting deal value
- Confidence in structuring governance findings that hold up under regulatory scrutiny
- Integration-ready playbooks that accelerate Day 1 planning
- Clearer articulation of control dependencies across IT, finance, and compliance functions
- Differentiated positioning as a go-to advisor on post-transaction governance integration
The 12 modules (with all 144 chapters)
Module 1. COBIT in the M&A Lifecycle
Understand how COBIT intersects with due diligence phases, from initial assessment to integration planning. This module maps COBIT domains to key transaction milestones and stakeholder concerns.
12 chapters in this module
- Linking COBIT to pre-acquisition risk screening
- How target selection criteria influence governance review depth
- Timing the governance assessment within transaction timelines
- Stakeholder expectations from legal, tax, and operational teams
- COBIT vs. ISO 27001 in transactional context
- When to escalate control deficiencies to deal team
- Integrating findings into CIM risk sections
- Balancing speed and completeness in fast-paced deals
- Cross-border data governance red flags
- Benchmarking target maturity against peer transactions
- The role of materiality in scope decisions
- Documenting initial observations for audit trail
Module 2. Assessing Governance Maturity
Learn to evaluate a target’s governance maturity using COBIT’s performance management model, tailored to transaction speed and risk tolerance.
12 chapters in this module
- Adapting COBIT capability levels for M&A pace
- Identifying significant deficiencies in control design
- Scoping based on deal size and strategic intent
- Sampling techniques for rapid control validation
- Leveraging existing audits and attestation reports
- Interpreting SOC 2 reports through a COBIT lens
- Common weaknesses in mid-market target environments
- Validating governance with limited access rights
- Handling partial or outdated documentation
- Assessing tone from the top during short site visits
- Rating maturity under time-constrained conditions
- Documenting findings for integration planning
Module 3. Evaluating IT Risk Management
Map COBIT’s APO12 to real-world risk practices in acquisition targets, identifying exposure areas that affect valuation.
12 chapters in this module
- COBIT APO12.01 and strategic risk oversight
- Assessing board-level engagement on IT risk
- How cyber risk programs align with business objectives
- Common gaps in risk appetite frameworks
- Third-party risk management at scale
- Evaluating cyber insurance adequacy and exclusions
- Incident response maturity in private equity targets
- Testing risk reporting frequency and quality
- Risk culture signals during leadership interviews
- Linking identified risks to deal-specific indemnities
- Prioritizing findings based on financial exposure
- Documenting residual risk assumptions
Module 4. Reviewing Information Security
Apply COBIT DSS05 and DSS06 to assess the robustness of a target’s security operations, with a focus on material weaknesses.
12 chapters in this module
- Evaluating security operations center maturity
- Reviewing SOC shift coverage and alerting thresholds
- Assessing vulnerability management cadence
- Penetration test frequency and follow-up rigor
- Privileged access review in hybrid environments
- Endpoint protection across remote workforces
- Encryption practices for data at rest and in transit
- Cloud security posture in AWS and Azure environments
- Security awareness training effectiveness
- Third-party security audit leverage
- Materiality thresholds for security findings
- Reporting on security readiness for integration
Module 5. Auditing Access Controls
Use COBIT DSS05.07 and DSS06.03 to evaluate access governance and segregation of duties in complex ERP environments.
12 chapters in this module
- SAP and Oracle access review best practices
- Detecting privileged account abuse risks
- Segregation of duties in financial reporting systems
- User provisioning and deprovisioning timeliness
- Emergency access (firecall) controls
- Role-based access vs. individual entitlements
- Cross-system access rationalization
- Reviewing access recertification practices
- SOD conflict analysis tools and techniques
- Identifying orphaned accounts in legacy systems
- Access control in SaaS environments
- Reporting on access risk for deal negotiation
Module 6. Evaluating Change Management
Assess IT change control rigor using COBIT DSS01, identifying risks in deployment practices that affect operational stability.
12 chapters in this module
- Reviewing change advisory board effectiveness
- Change success rate and rollback frequency
- Emergency change volume and justification
- Testing change approval workflows
- Production access and self-deployment risks
- Automated vs. manual deployment pipelines
- Change impact on data integrity and uptime
- Version control practices in development teams
- Post-implementation review discipline
- Linking change incidents to financial reporting
- Outsourced change management risks
- Documenting change control findings for integration
Module 7. Assessing Data Governance
Apply COBIT APO07 to evaluate data classification, quality, and lifecycle controls in data-intensive acquisitions.
12 chapters in this module
- Data classification policy existence and enforcement
- Sensitive data discovery coverage
- Data quality metrics and monitoring
- Data stewardship roles and responsibilities
- Data lineage documentation practices
- Master data management maturity
- Metadata management in cloud data platforms
- Data retention and deletion compliance
- Data usage in AI/ML development
- Third-party data sharing agreements
- Data governance in SaaS ecosystems
- Reporting on data maturity for integration
Module 8. Reviewing Vendor Management
Leverage COBIT DSS04 to assess third-party risk and service continuity across critical technology vendors.
12 chapters in this module
- Vendor risk classification frameworks
- Criticality assessment of IT vendors
- Due diligence on cloud providers and MSPs
- Contract review for SLAs and audit rights
- Right-to-audit clause enforceability
- Subcontractor oversight practices
- Business continuity in vendor environments
- Cybersecurity certifications of vendors
- Vendor performance monitoring mechanisms
- Concentration risk in vendor portfolios
- Transition planning for vendor consolidation
- Documenting vendor risk findings
Module 9. Evaluating Business Continuity
Apply COBIT DSS04 and BAI09 to assess resilience and disaster recovery readiness in acquisition targets.
12 chapters in this module
- Business impact analysis completeness
- Recovery time objectives validation
- Recovery point objectives and data loss risk
- Disaster recovery testing frequency and results
- Backup retention and air-gapped policies
- Cloud-based failover capabilities
- Crisis communication plan existence
- Third-party dependencies in recovery plans
- Geographic concentration of infrastructure
- Supply chain resilience in IT operations
- Recovery documentation clarity
- Reporting on resilience gaps
Module 10. Structuring Integration Playbooks
Develop post-close integration plans grounded in COBIT findings, prioritizing governance harmonization.
12 chapters in this module
- Prioritizing governance integration initiatives
- Change management for policy adoption
- Control rationalization across entities
- Harmonizing KPIs and reporting cadence
- Phased integration of security operations
- Data governance alignment strategy
- Vendor consolidation roadmap
- IT organizational structure decisions
- Technology stack rationalization
- Communication plan for governance changes
- Integration success metrics
- Handover to operational teams
Module 11. Presenting Findings to Stakeholders
Craft clear, decision-ready governance findings for executive deal teams, legal, and integration leads.
12 chapters in this module
- Tailoring findings to audience needs
- Linking governance gaps to financial impact
- Using heat maps for risk visualization
- Avoiding consultant jargon in reporting
- Balancing transparency and deal momentum
- Narrative structure for governance sections
- Incorporating peer benchmarks
- Highlighting quick wins and long-term risks
- Supporting reps and warranties with evidence
- Documenting assumptions and limitations
- Preparing for Q&A on findings
- Finalizing deliverables for handoff
Module 12. Scaling Governance Across Portfolios
Turn transaction-specific assessments into repeatable models for portfolio-wide governance improvement.
12 chapters in this module
- Template creation for future due diligence
- Building institutional knowledge from deals
- Standardizing governance evaluation criteria
- Developing playbooks for common scenarios
- Leveraging findings across client portfolios
- Training junior team members
- Creating governance scorecards
- Benchmarking across sectors
- Integration with firm-wide tools
- Knowledge sharing across geographies
- Measuring practice evolution over time
- Contributing to firm positioning
How this maps to your situation
- Due diligence scoping and timeline alignment
- Cross-border transaction governance risks
- Post-acquisition integration planning
- Regulator-facing transaction narratives
Before vs. after
Before
Governance findings are fragmented, reactive, and inconsistently applied across deals.
After
Structured, repeatable, and strategically aligned governance assessments that enhance deal value and integration speed.
What's included with your purchase
- 12 modules with 12 chapters each (144 chapters)
- Downloadable templates and worked examples for every module
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Delivery and format
- Course and learning environment access provisioned within 24 hours of purchase
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
Format: Text-based modules and chapters in the Art of Service learning environment, plus downloadable templates and worked examples for every chapter, plus the hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
Time investment: Approximately 90 minutes per module, designed for completion over a weekend or in focused sessions.
If nothing changes
Without a consistent framework, governance findings remain ad hoc, risking missed liabilities, integration delays, and diminished advisory authority in future transactions.
How this compares to the alternatives
Unlike generic COBIT training, this course is built specifically for M&A practitioners, with real transaction examples, redacted findings, and integration playbooks not available in public certifications.
Frequently asked
Is this course suitable for non-technical due diligence leads?
Yes. It is designed for senior advisory practitioners who need to understand, evaluate, and communicate governance risks without being IT specialists.
How is the course structured?
12 modules, each containing 12 chapters (144 chapters total).
Will this help me in cross-border deals?
Yes. Modules include considerations for GDPR, data sovereignty, and multi-jurisdictional control expectations.
$199 one-time. Approximately 90 minutes per module, designed for completion over a weekend or in focused sessions..
Within 24 hours your account in the learning environment is provisioned and the tailored implementation playbook is delivered alongside it.
30-day money-back guarantee·
144 chapters·
Hand-built playbook included·
Account access within 24 hours