A Technology Platform Built to Keep Pace With Growth

From a principal's prior executive role. Shown to illustrate the leadership we bring, not a client engagement.

The Situation

Boeing's largest subsidiary, a global distributor of aerospace and defense parts with $4B in revenue and 43 locations worldwide, was growing fast. Its technology had to keep up: the ERP platform needed replacing, IT service needed a consistent operating model, and customers and auditors expected mature security and compliance. Acquisitions added another layer, since each deal brought new systems to assess and absorb.

The Mandate

• Build the security and compliance functions, then, as Director, lead global infrastructure and operations: data centers, networks, service desk, production operations, applications, and business continuity.
• Manage an $87M IT budget and 125 staff.
• Deliver major platform programs on time and on budget.
• Serve as IT lead for mergers and acquisitions.

What We Did

Replaced the ERP platform

Our principal delivered a $65M SAP ERP replacement in 18 months, ahead of schedule and on budget. He also co-managed a $45.5M Lawson ERP upgrade.

Built a real service organization

He built an ITIL-based service organization with clear processes and measures. Call abandonment fell from about 40% to 8%, and first-call resolution rose from 76% to 91%.

Built security and compliance from the ground up

The security and compliance functions were built from scratch. PCI compliance came with $1.8M in annual card fee savings, SOX controls were cut from 105 to 28, and ISO 27001 certification helped win about $10M in revenue.

Took cost out and planned ahead

Delivery costs fell $3.4M and vendor contracts saved about $2M a year. He established the PMO, an enterprise architecture team, and three-to-five-year technology roadmaps.

Led IT for acquisitions

As IT lead for mergers and acquisitions, he ran diligence, integration planning, and system rationalization so acquired businesses could join the platform. Involving IT in diligence helps surface integration cost and risk before a deal closes, not after.

The Results

Over ten years, the infrastructure and operations teams supported 657% revenue growth and a 221% EBIT increase. Technology was not a brake on that growth. The ERP program landed early, support became reliable, compliance turned into a source of savings and new revenue, and acquisitions had a clear path onto a common platform.

Why It Matters for You

Growth companies, distributors, and PE-backed businesses often reach a point where systems built for a smaller company start to hold them back. Replacing a core platform, maturing IT service, meeting PCI, SOX, or ISO 27001 requirements, and absorbing acquisitions are each hard on their own, and they tend to arrive together. This case shows they can be sequenced so that each one supports the next. RIG brings that experience to leadership teams preparing for growth, a transaction, or exit.