Bath-based change management consultancy Nine Feet Tall has partnered with PA Media Group to deliver a major SAP public cloud transformation. The project replaced legacy systems with modern cloud-based ERP and HR platforms, supporting more than 1,000 employees across the UK and India.
Introducing new SAP systems around the cloud can offer organisations major efficiency opportunities – but the change also comes with notable risks. Among famous SAP flops, Lidl abandoned one such transformation having already sunk €500 million into it, while a similar misfire cost LeasePlan more than €100 million.
Demand for consultants capable of navigating such a tricky – and potentially expensive – undertaking has understandably boomed in recent years. When PA Media determined the time was right to upgrade a “patchwork” of outdated internal systems with a single cloud-based software, it was thought to be one of SAP’s biggest UK public cloud deals of 2024; and the firm opted for support from Nine Feet Tall to make it happen.
One of the UK’s largest news and media agencies, PA Media Group, was at a pivotal point in their transformation journey, realising that their existing enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution no longer fully supported the evolving needs of the business.
As the digital backbone of a large organisation, ERP systems are integral to modern businesses, encompassing the tools and processes that support core functions such as human resources, manufacturing, supply chain management, finance and more. When Nine Feet Tall’s consultants came on board, they quickly got to work streamline processes and create more scalable platforms to support the business’s growth ambitions.
Bruce Marson, group CFO at PA Media, reflected, “We made a significant investment to modernise our technology for the future, and this implementation will be transformative for PA Media. The programme delivery has been a success because of the hard work and careful planning of all involved.”
Incremental implementation
Headquartered in Bath and with offices in London and Manchester, Nine Feet Tall delivers complex change projects, aligning the power of people and technology. After reviewing existing systems, Nine Feet Tall delivered workshops for senior leaders to set the vision and align business goals – with new operating models developed to support day-to-day delivery, and structures designed for clarity within teams.
Nine Feet Tall also guided PA Media through the selection of human resource information systems (HRIS) and ERP solutions, ensuring all decisions were grounded in value – before implementation was carefully phased. Technology was introduced hand-in-hand with changes to ways of working. Governance, change management and training were embedded from the outset. The transformation programme ultimately covered recruitment, onboarding and offboarding, finance, reporting and payroll processes for over 1,000 employees in the UK and India.
James Howarth, senior manager at Nine Feet Tall, added, “This programme is one of the largest and most complex transformations we’ve delivered to date. Supporting a multinational organisation like PA Media through a critical ERP and HR transformation required careful planning, strong partnership and disciplined execution. Together, we’ve delivered modern, scalable platforms that simplify processes, improve efficiency and position the business for long-term growth, all whilst keeping their teams informed, supported and empowered.”
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