Global ERP Alignment: Breaking a Two-Year Consensus Deadlock

A global media conglomerate operating across 10+ companies in over 50 markets had spent two years and an estimated £2 million in salary costs trying, and failing, to align its senior leadership on a critical global ERP strategy. The programme had stalled in complexity, competing priorities and a fundamental lack of shared understanding. The Group COO needed results.

The challenge wasn't technical, it was human. Dozens of senior stakeholders across different markets, business lines and functions each held a different version of what the strategy meant for them. Without a common frame of reference, consensus was impossible.

Working across design, architecture and communications, I led the creation of an interactive visual portal which was integrated directly into the client's intranet, which answered the three questions blocking progress: what ERP actually meant for the organisation, who would receive which capabilities and why, and when each part of the business would be affected. Each view was tailored by line of business, market and persona, so every stakeholder could see their own context clearly for the first time.

In twelve weeks, a deadlock that had persisted for two years was broken. The portal became the organisation's single source of truth for the entire ERP programme, and delivered a verified return of at least 7–10x the original investment.

"You achieved in three months what we could not do in 2 years. An incredible achievement." Group COO