Working together to support a client’s transformation journey

Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and your journey at Deloitte Switzerland?

Ali: With 20 years of experience in the SAP Business Transformation domain, my work has centred on global S/4HANA implementations. I joined Deloitte Switzerland in 2019, and since then I have been leading S/4HANA transformation programs across multiple industries. My focus is on helping clients modernize their processes, adopt innovative technologies and deliver sustainable, long-term value through their SAP ecosystem.

Your team worked with a client to modernise their ERP landscape. Could you briefly describe the project? What was the client’s business challenge?

Ali: The client faced challenges with a complex, historically grown SAP environment that included multiple parallel SAP and Procurement systems. This complexity posed significant business risks. To tackle this, the client partnered with Deloitte to launch the oneERP programme, aiming to harmonise and standardise business processes across the board. The ambitious goal was to consolidate all entities onto SAP S/4HANA Private Cloud Edition, reducing complexity, preventing process breaches, and boosting overall efficiency and control. This transformation promises a streamlined, transparent, and future-ready ERP landscape.

Could you tell us a little more about the project timeline and what considerations go into the team assignments?  

Ali: Throughout the oneERP program, we successfully delivered three go-lives covering nearly 60 legal entities. With the deployment of multiple SAP modules, the program was structured around three primary functional areas:

• Record to report
• Quote to billing
• Source to receive

Each functional area was led by a dedicated Stream Lead and supported by a team of functional consultants and developers who conducted detailed fit-gap analyses, defined end-to-end processes, and executed system configuration, customization, and testing leading up to go-live.

In addition to the core functional areas, several cross-functional streams—such as Authorizations and Cutover—played a critical role in ensuring that all capabilities were seamlessly integrated and deployed as planned. The program also benefited from strong collaboration with Tax & Legal, Finance & Performance, and the AI & Data Team, whose expertise contributed significantly to the quality and completeness of the solution.

Overall, the program was driven by a highly collaborative global team spanning India, Eastern Europe, Ireland, and Switzerland with over 50 practitioners. Their collective expertise, commitment, and coordination were instrumental in delivering a successful outcome, showcasing Deloitte’s ability to bring together the right skills from across teams and member firms to match specific client needs.

On a project like this, what is your role as team lead?

Ali: As Delivery and Integration Lead, my role is twofold:

1. To ensure the implementation of state-of-the-art processes within the agreed timelines.
2. To create an environment in which my team can thrive and grow.

My key responsibilities include managing scope and client stakeholders, assessing risks and issues, and serving as an escalation point for out-of-scope topics.

Within the Deloitte project team, we established a structured knowledge-sharing platform through our Brown Bag Sessions, enabling team members to present their expertise and highlight recent achievements. In addition, we introduced recurring open feedback sessions to support career development, encouraged team members to take initiative, and ensured they had the opportunities and visibility needed to progress into more senior roles.

Client work can be extremely rewarding as well as demanding. Did you face any challenges or surprises along the way, and how did you as a team overcome them?

Ali: Working with the client was truly rewarding, as we supported them to embark on the latest SAP technology by harmonizing and standardizing their processes. This meant close collaboration both with the client project organization and the business. The Deloitte project team ensured a solution that satisfied business needs through:

• Bringing people together to discover gaps through well-structured workshops
• Challenging the status quo by providing alternative ideas to solve complex issues
• Having an open mindset to find new approaches together

Although we faced unforeseen challenges along the way, our team always acted with a fast-responding, solution-oriented mindset that ultimately solved the issues in a professional manner.

How did the project improve the client’s business processes or decision-making capabilities?

Ali: Transitioning the in-scope legal entities to S/4HANA enabled the client to achieve three key objectives:

• Reduced complexity through standardized, harmonized processes
• Prevention of end-to-end process breaches by leveraging integrated, automated workflows
• Enhanced controllability and operational efficiency supported by real-time data and improved governance

With S/4HANA, the client now benefits from a fully managed cloud service that streamlines data residency, strengthens security, and improves system connectivity under a unified data governance framework. As a result, they are better equipped to ensure smooth and reliable business operations while enabling more informed and timely decision-making across the organization.

Beyond project delivery, how do you support the long-term career development and aspirations of your team members?

Ali: Long-term career development is a core priority within our team. We are committed to providing an environment where team members can apply their skills, further develop them, and progress into more senior roles. Junior team members are encouraged to work directly with clients early on, enabling them to acquire leadership capabilities and build client relationship skills from the outset of their careers.

We also actively encourage team members to pursue SAP certifications across areas of interest to further deepen their technical expertise, with all associated costs covered by Deloitte. In addition to formal learning, we place strong emphasis on innovation-focused topics—such as AI and emerging digital capabilities—to ensure that our team remains at the forefront of industry developments and is equipped to drive future-ready solutions.

Since the project began in 2023, we have celebrated a total of 24 promotions—an exceptional testament to the team’s successful delivery, growth mindset, and strong collaboration.

Lastly, how does your team celebrate successes, both big and small?

Team members are encouraged to showcase their achievements and share their knowledge during our recurring Brown Bag Sessions. In addition, we take time to celebrate key milestones and strengthen team cohesion through project dinners and team-building activities. We also ensure that team members have the freedom and space to try out new ideas, experiment with innovative approaches, and continuously push the boundaries of what we can achieve together.

Ultimately, we aim to create a positive and engaging project environment where collaboration, learning, and enjoyment are integral parts of our success.