The acquisition required the full separation of Omnicom’s IT landscape from the seller environment, followed by rapid integration into Hitachi Rail’s enterprise technology estate.

Key challenges included:

1. A legacy, highly fragmented IT environment burdened by technical debt and end‑of‑life systems
   
   

2. Deep interdependencies across ERP, applications, infrastructure, EUC, identity and cyber security
   
   

3. Tight TSA timelines with minimal tolerance for disruption to safety‑critical operations
   
   

4. The need to establish secure, compliant IT foundations while enabling Day‑1 business continuity
   
   

5. Multiple stakeholders across Hitachi Rail, the seller organisation and Omnicom, all operating under transaction pressure
   
   

The programme demanded pace, control and decisiveness — without compromising enterprise standards or operational resilience.

Hitachi Rail established a single, integrated carve‑out and integration programme, delivered through a robust IMO and executive governance structure.

The approach centred on clarity, disciplined sequencing and strong governance.

Core elements included:

1. End‑to‑end IT carve‑out and integration leadership, spanning Sign‑to‑Close, Day‑1 readiness, TSA design, execution and exit
   
   

2. A structured IT readiness playbook covering ERP, infrastructure, EUC, applications, identity and cyber security
   
   

3. Application‑by‑application integration planning, enabling pragmatic replace‑versus‑integrate decisions
   
   

4. Definition of a target‑state operating model, ensuring scalable and compliant foundations for future growth
   
   

5. Clear TSA scoping and exit principles aligned to Hitachi Rail’s target operating model
   
   

This structure ensured dependencies were visible, risks were actively managed, and decisions could be taken confidently and at pace.

The Challenge

The Solution

The programme delivered a controlled IT separation and integration while maintaining full operational stability.

Key outcomes included:

1. Day‑1 business continuity, enabling Omnicom to operate independently within Hitachi Rail
   
   

2. Successful ERP carve‑out and stabilisation, including Oracle‑to‑SAP migration and greenfield workflows
   
   

3. Establishment of new hosting and data‑centre capabilities aligned to enterprise standards
   
   

4. Secure integration of a large, complex application estate spanning EUC, server‑based and SaaS services
   
   

5. Rationalisation of legacy technologies, reducing exposure to unsupported and end‑of‑life systems
   
   

6. A scalable target‑state IT foundation to support future growth and innovation
   
   

Throughout the programme, executive confidence was sustained through clear governance, transparency and disciplined issue control.

The Results

Day 1: where the story began

From the outset, the programme was characterised by tight timelines, evolving priorities and incomplete information. The inherited IT landscape spanned ERP, applications, infrastructure, end‑user computing, identity and cyber security — all tightly embedded within the seller environment.

To meet Day‑1 requirements, delivery progressed in parallel with discovery, building clarity and control while execution was already underway.

“This was not a standard IT project. We needed to move forward with uncertainty, make decisions quickly, and ensure the business remained stable from Day 1.”
Global IT PMO Director, Hitachi Rail

Early delivery focused on non‑negotiable Day‑1 capabilities, including ERP readiness and secure access. A major early milestone was the successful execution of a large‑scale ERP data migration, enabling Omnicom to operate independently within Hitachi Rail from Day 1.

This milestone demonstrated that complex, high‑risk transitions could be delivered without disrupting day‑to‑day operations — building confidence across both IT and the wider business.

As delivery progressed, the programme remained deliberately honest about what was working and where adjustments were needed. Where reporting or sequencing lacked sufficient clarity, approaches were refined quickly to maintain grip and momentum.

This ability to course‑correct — without losing pace — proved critical in sustaining executive confidence.

From first milestone to course correction

With confidence growing in delivery and risk controls, Hitachi Rail assessed the opportunity to accelerate TSA exit.

Based on real‑time visibility of progress, dependencies and residual risk, the programme shifted to an accelerated execution plan, with increased focus on:

• Parallel delivery of multiple interdependent system transitions
  
  

• Greater emphasis on testing, training and change readiness
  
  

• Tight coordination of vendors and internal teams during peak delivery periods
  
  

Despite the pace and scale of change, business disruption was kept deliberately low and core operations continued to run securely.

Moving onto the fast track

“The programme wasn’t about technology for its own sake. It was about protecting operational continuity while creating a scalable platform for future growth — and doing that under real transaction pressure.”
Chief Product Officer, Hitachi Rail

The accelerated TSA exit enabled Hitachi Rail to shift focus fully onto its target operating model.

While minor operational issues were inevitable given the scale of change, these were managed without material impact to safety‑critical or customer‑facing operations.

“The programme maintained control throughout — even when the timeline looked unachievable. That confidence came from disciplined execution and clear ownership.”

A recipe for a successful carve‑out and integration

“Strong governance and sequencing allowed us to exit transitional services safely while keeping the business fully stable. The clarity and control brought to a very complex situation were critical to success.”

Global IT PMO Director, Hitachi Rail

By combining disciplined execution with senior judgement, Hitachi Rail successfully navigated a complex carve‑out and integration — protecting value, reducing risk and establishing a robust digital foundation to support future innovation and growth.

A controlled foundation for growth