Informa - SAP Transformation Delivery & Global Cutover

RunFast Transformation RunHealthy Assessment

What did we help solve?

The Challenge

Informa had contracted PwC to deliver a large-scale global SAP transformation programme. The programme was progressing on plan — but Informa recognised that the most complex and highest-risk elements sat on the client side: business change, integration architecture, and a meticulous global cutover across multiple geographies.

They needed an independent expert team to own these workstreams — someone who could work alongside PwC without conflict of interest, and ensure the business was genuinely ready to receive the new system.

What we achieved

Solution

Limelight took ownership of the deployment function — working alongside PwC and taking full responsibility for the client-side workstreams that would determine whether the programme landed successfully.

The change management function was professionalised and standardised using Limelight's accelerators and business readiness frameworks. A global communications and training programme was designed and delivered across all affected markets.

The integration layer was governed end to end — from requirements gathering through to testing and deployment — ensuring every interface between the new SAP instance and third-party systems was fully functional at go-live.

The global cutover plan was scripted to a meticulous level of detail, with business readiness checkpoints built in at every stage. A full legacy SAP system rebuild on a new instance was completed, with all legacy data migrated and validated.

What were the benefits?

Results

The programme went live on schedule across all geographies. Business readiness was confirmed at every stage before cutover proceeded — no workstream advanced without a signed-off readiness check.
The integration layer was fully operational at go-live, with no critical integration failures in the immediate post-live period.
The legacy SAP rebuild — which many considered the most technically complex element — was completed within the planned timeline, with full data migration and testing completed to the required standard.
Informa's business teams were prepared, trained, and confident in the new system from day one.

What Informa had to say

An eye for detail, sound technical knowledge and ease of managing such a big & complex programme - The team at Limelight exceeded expectations all around !! Whether it was senior stakeholders or business level engagement, everybody was involved with ease. Neil and the team ensured that all work-streams have a robust plan and stick to it as well.

Paul Bateman
CTO - Informa