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Stop the Drift. Restore Performance.
Back to Green in <12 Weeks: ERP Turnaround & S/4 HANA Program Stabilization
Large-scale S/4 HANA transformations rarely collapse overnight. They lose structural stability. Milestones slip, escalations repeat, transparency fades, and decision ownership becomes blurred. What appears as ‘temporary turbulence’ evolves into systemic execution risk.
“I have seen this pattern many times in complex S/4 HANA transformations. And it is reversible. AdEx Partners Turnaround Management restores governance clarity, execution discipline, and executive control, without derailing strategic intent.”
Tatjana Kleber-Böse
Associate Partner & Turnaround Expert at AdEx Partners
When S/4 HANA Transformations go off track
Industry analyses consistently indicate that large-scale ERP and S/4HANA programs often fail to meet their objectives. This is not because of flawed strategy, but because execution loses structural integrity. Failure is gradual.
Typical warning signals include:
- Cost and timeline instability
- Weak governance and unclear decision rights
- Lack of clear objectives, including cost estimates and coordination of available resources
- Escalations without root-cause resolution
- Misaligned steering and growing distrust toward implementation partners
- Lack of transparency on scope, risks and delivery quality
Derailed S/4 HANA programs should not be stopped. They must be stabilized.
Our promise: Back to Green in <12 Weeks
Turnaround is not about interruption. It is about restoring control without losing momentum.
AdEx Partners combines independent S4/HANA program assurance with pragmatic stabilization support. The objective is not temporary firefighting but sustainable delivery stability. In stabilization programs, we typically observe:
In stabilization programs, we typically observe (based on project experiences):
- ~30% improvement in delivery stability
- Up to 40% uplift in PMO maturity
- Strengthened governance clarity and decision ownership
- Restored executive transparency
- Renewed stakeholder confidence
Recovery becomes measurable, structured, and controlled.
Why Clients Trust Us in Critical Moments
Turnaround is a leadership situation. When escalation reaches executive level and delivery confidence declines, analysis alone does not restore stability. What is required is visible control, decisiveness, and structural clarity.
Our leadership in the S/4 HANA turnaround connects:
- Calm authority under pressure
- Clear executive alignment and accountability reset
- Transparent decision models
- Hands-on stabilization at steering and PMO level
“In escalation situations, the instinct is often to accelerate. In reality, the first priority must be restoring governance and decision clarity. Once structural stability is re-established, performance follows”, Tatjana explains.
In unstable environments, leadership sets the tone. When structure is restored at the top, execution stabilizes across the program. Supported by our industrialized S/4 HANA delivery expertise and AI-enhanced PMO capabilities, turnaround becomes structured, controlled, and measurable.
Click here to read more about our Turnaround Management with our client Ahlstrom.
Our 4-Phase S/4 HANA Turnaround Framework
When a transformation loses structural stability, recovery must be systematic — not reactive. Our four-phase framework provides that structure.
Phase 1: S/4 HANA Program Health Check (Weeks 1–2)
Clarity precedes control. We conduct a structured S/4 HANA health assessment across:
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Governance and steering structures
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Scope clarity and backlog discipline
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Delivery performance and milestone realism
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Risk exposure and financial transparency
Executive Deliverables:
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Structured Health Check
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Executive-Level Summary
This phase establishes fact-based transparency.
Phase 2: Root Cause & Recovery Roadmap (Weeks 2–4)
Transparency alone does not restore stability. Structural causes must be addressed.
We analyze and prioritize across:
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Governance and accountability gaps
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Vendor and delivery performance
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Stakeholder alignment
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Scope and release discipline
Executive Deliverables:
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Fact-based Back-to-Green Roadmap
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Prioritized stabilization levers
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Clear ownership definition
This phase creates decision clarity and a structured recovery path.
Phase 3: Governance & PMO Stabilization
Stability requires institutional discipline.
We embed:
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Clear executive steering cadence
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Transparency dashboards
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Risk and quality control routines
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Defined decision rights and accountability
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Optional GenAI-enabled real-time monitoring
Governance becomes visible and enforceable.
Phase 4: Safety Car Intervention
When structural instability is critical, speed must temporarily decrease to regain control.
The Safety Car Phase focuses on:
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Resetting steering and escalation logic
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Stabilizing PMO performance
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Recovering critical workstreams
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Realigning vendor accountability
The program is relaunched on a controlled and sustainable foundation — structurally stabilized rather than superficially accelerated.
Read our presentation to discover how we stop the drift and restore performance of your S/4 HANA transformation.
Let’s get your S/4 HANA program Back to Green in <12 Weeks.
The longer an S/4 HANA transformation drifts, the greater the financial, operational, and reputational exposure. Not with us! Not with us! Let’s assess the right turnaround path for your transformation.
Looking forward to your call or e-mail!
Our Turnaround Experts
Tatjana Kleber-Böse
Associate Partner - Turnaround & Stabilisation
Tobias Wittebrock
CSO & Managing Partner