Challenge:

Grant Thornton launched a $15M digital transformation with two core objectives:

1. Enable secure firm-wide collaboration for 2,900 partners through remote access and productivity tools

2. Provide seamless centralized access to client information previously siloed across disconnected physical servers

Despite these goals, the program lacked a clear internal strategy from the outset. Vendors were asked to draft their own Statements of Work (SOWs), resulting in fragmented scopes, misaligned tools, and unnecessary complexity. The roadmap was assembled hastily without proper due diligence, leading to platform selections such as Box and AWS—despite the firm already holding extensive Microsoft licenses.

As timelines slipped and ownership remained unclear, leadership confidence eroded and delivery momentum stalled.

What I led:

As Digital Transformation Program Director (Contract), I partnered with a senior technology architect to completely redesign the roadmap, correct vendor misalignment, and pivot toward a Microsoft-first cloud architecture (Azure, O365, Okta). I reestablished program governance, realigned stakeholders, and oversaw execution across internal teams and external vendors.

What I delivered:

• Rebuilt the transformation roadmap based on business needs, scalability, and platform alignment

• Replaced misaligned tools (e.g. Box) with Microsoft-first architecture using existing licenses

• Led cloud migration and infrastructure consolidation across multiple systems

• Designed and implemented secure remote collaboration capabilities for 2,900+ partners

• Centralized access to client files and internal knowledge using cloud-based platforms

• Deployed a SaaS knowledge management solution to streamline content access

• Reestablished governance, delivery cadence, and executive alignment

• Managed multi-vendor ecosystem, overseeing contracts, coordination, and execution

Business Results:

✅ $15M transformation back on track and strategically realigned

✅ 30% reduction in post-acquisition IT costs through cloud consolidation

✅ Improved firm-wide efficiency by centralizing access to client files across Canada

✅ Optimized resource management by enabling secure remote collaboration for 2,900+ partners

✅ Stronger executive sponsorship and program governance