DBS S/4HANA Project Recovery

David Brown Group began a brownfield migration from SAP ECC to SAP S/4HANA with an initial implementation partner. Under a highly compressed timeline, critical pre-requisites were missed and the S/4HANA environment went live as an effectively empty shell, leaving the business without essential functionality. Aggressive deadlines split operations, and a rushed delivery approach added to the challenges. At this point, Birchman was engaged to take over the project and provide recovery support.

The Challenge

Incomplete migration: Missing data and configurations in S/4HANA environment
Critical timeline: Business separation imposed non-negotiable go-live dates
Risk of business disruption: Severe operational impact if issues were not resolved quickly
Loss of project control: Urgent need for technical leadership and clear governance

The Solution and Our Approach

Birchman rapidly mobilised a team of senior technical consultants to stabilise and recover the project. Our approach focused on:

Assessing the system to identify critical gaps and stabilisation requirements
Completing migration tasks and essential system configurations
Establishing robust technical governance and recovery planning
Working collaboratively with David Brown Group’s internal teams to rebuild momentum
Prioritising actions to support the original business separation timeline while ensuring quality delivery

Throughout the engagement, Birchman provided clear communication, strong technical leadership and practical, transparent delivery to restore project confidence.

The Outcomes

The SAP S/4HANA environment was stabilised, with critical gaps addressed
The project successfully met its original go-live and business separation timelines
A stable, fully operational S/4HANA system was delivered to support ongoing business operations
Strong governance processes were re-established to safeguard future stability

Conclusion

Birchman’s senior expertise, rapid mobilisation and collaborative approach enabled David Brown Group to overcome critical migration challenges – delivering a successful S/4HANA outcome under demanding circumstances and preserving business continuity.

Do you have a project that needs realignment? Learn more about our project assurance support approach by clicking the link below.

Project Assurance Approach