~ 4 min read
When a leading biotech faced a failing ERP programme and the imminent shutdown of its legacy PeopleSoft system, Marlborough helped the Executive Board take decisive action. By providing senior CTO expertise, programme leadership, change management, data migration, and specialist SAP skills, Marlborough enabled delivery of a fully operational, GxP-compliant SAP S/4HANA solution in just four months — with zero disruption to critical business operations.
Posted Oct 27, 2025
2 years of stalled ERP progress
Failing suppliers
Compliance risk growing
Poor data quality
Fragmented teams
Escalating costs/ poor ROI
Reset failing programme
Led exemplar delivery, reporting directly to CIO/Board
Injected critical SAP subject matter expertise & organisational change management (OCM)
Ensured results & lasting impact
ERP Live in 4 months
Achieved GxP compliance with clean data & confidence restored
Ensured payroll, invoicing & business operations continued seamlessly during ERP transition & beyond.
Marlborough was initially engaged to provide Senior Advisory to a leading global R&D biotech that offers accelerated, high-value pipeline co-creation and innovative R&D solutions. For this organisation, like so many others, digital IT enablement was pivotal to achieving corporate objectives, including AI-powered insights, data-driven services, innovative technologies, and resilience against operational and cyber risks.
Consistent with many companies across sectors, ERP was a key system underpinning their business and digital capabilities across functions. The existing UK ERP was end-of-life, and the hosting solution was being decommissioned within five months. To protect continuity and take advantage of next-generation capabilities, the client needed to rapidly implement a new GxP-compliant ERP system while transitioning core business processes.
Without a functioning ERP, it would not have been possible to enact critical financial, quality, manufacturing, procurement, and sales processes. The urgency, coupled with the failure of a prior SAP programme, created significant risk to compliance, resilience, and business continuity.
The stakes were even higher under strict GxP regulatory requirements. Any disruption or data integrity issue could have undermined compliance, quality standards, and customer trust.
Recognising these challenges, the client’s senior leadership selected Marlborough as their trusted transformation partner. They wanted a firm that could work alongside permanent project resources, provide senior CTO expertise, and bring proven SAP leadership experience to accelerate and de-risk the programme.
Marlborough’s intervention was pivotal. We halted the failing programme, reset delivery with a clear roadmap, and provided programme leadership and subject matter expertise that enabled a compliant SAP S/4HANA solution to be delivered in just four months.
Injected transformation leadership & programme management: led the initiative end-to-end, from set-up through to service delivery handover.
Restored delivery discipline: re-established focus, aligned resources & introduced robust governance with weekly Executive Board visibility.
Established parallel streams of change across technical, data, integration, security, quality, service design, service transition, training & supplier onboarding. Marlborough structured and governed these streams cohesively, ensuring alignment to outcomes and benefits.
Strengthened operating model: identified & onboarded a new SI, shaped the OP model, & defined the BAU service support model.
Drove outcome-focused delivery: established the critical path plan, clarified ownership, and created Business and IT governance boards to ensure time-boxed decision-making, open communication, and rapid escalation resolution.
Re-established focus & priorities — reset the programme around a clear roadmap, critical path, and outcome-driven milestones.
Aligned resources effectively — optimised use of permanent staff, SI, and Marlborough experts and others to build a cohesive, high-performing team.
Strengthened execution control — introduced structured tracking, proactive risk management, and rapid issue resolution to maintain pace.
Built Board confidence — provided transparent weekly progress updates and decision making that enabled fast decisions and kept delivery on track.
Injected Organisational Change Management (OCM) skills & expertise — brought proven OCM capabilities to guide stakeholders through the transformation.
Secured executive sponsorship — worked closely with senior leadership to reinforce urgency, priorities, and benefits.
Built cross-functional alignment — engaged finance, quality, procurement, manufacturing, and sales teams to ensure shared ownership.
Drove user adoption — delivered targeted communications, training, and engagement activities to reduce resistance and accelerate acceptance.
Maintained momentum — fostered collaboration across business and IT functions, ensuring issues were surfaced and resolved quickly.
Injected proven tools & techniques — applied Marlborough’s tried-and-tested approaches alongside client processes to drive accountability for delivery and manage dependencies on the critical path.
Ensured rigorous testing & readiness — partnered with client teams to design, build, and transition technology and data with a strong focus on testing and business readiness.
Safeguarded data integrity & compliance — executed data cleansing, migration, and validation, embedding GxP controls to meet stringent life sciences standards.
De-risked cutover — managed a controlled transition that ensured continuity of finance, procurement, quality, and manufacturing processes.
Senior Vice President
Upskilled IT & business teams — equipped client staff with the knowledge and confidence to operate and extend the SAP S/4HANA solution.
Embedded knowledge transfer — paired Marlborough experts with client resources to build capability throughout the project lifecycle.
Left a sustainable legacy — ensured ongoing ownership by strengthening internal expertise and reducing reliance on external support.
The programme delivered tangible business outcomes that protected critical operations while creating a stronger, more resilient ERP foundation for the future.
Delivered a compliant SAP S/4HANA solution in just four months!
Achieved GxP compliance with clean data achieved, confidence restored, resilience built & teams upskilled.
Ensured payroll, invoicing & business operations continued seamlessly during ERP transition & beyond.
"Thank you for supporting us on our way forward and in making the right decisions for our company"
SVP Head Global Logistics & Procurement
Built lasting capability: knowledge transfer and upskilling from Marlborough to client teams ensured sustainable ownership and reduced external dependency.
"Marlborough’s leadership has been instrumental in delivering an operational GxP SAP solution into our business in less than 4 months from start to finish… amazing!!!"
Chief Operating Officer (COO)