At a minimum the IMO/PMO should be knowledgeable about the following:
• Strategic rationale of the deal and the business processes and integration activities that support those strategies
• Deal synergies (both timing and magnitude) and the business processes and integration activities that support those synergies
The deal executive business sponsor, the finance executive supporting that business, and the business leaders who will actually execute on/own the area of the costs savings should all be involved in making the final decision. The IMO/PMO shares recommendations based on their knowledge of the business and the business processes and based on prior integration lessons learned.