Jerome Houboi: Turning SAP Challenges into Opportunities for Growth

Key points:

  • Jerome Houboi emphasizes people engagement as the key to successful SAP transformations, ensuring technology serves the teams using it.
  • As a Transformation Partner at Qiado GmbH, he blends technical expertise with systemic coaching to address resistance to change and align teams.
  • His agile approach focuses on flexibility, collaboration, and incremental delivery to overcome challenges like legacy system integration and leadership misalignment.

Jerome Houboi knows what most leaders miss about transformation: it’s never just about technology. Companies spend millions on the latest systems, yet many still struggle to see results. Why? Because they forget the most important factor—people engagement.

Jerome, a Transformation Partner at Qiado GmbH, has spent 17 years fixing this gap. He doesn’t just implement SAP systems; he gets teams to believe in them. His method is simple but powerful—it combines technical expertise with a deep focus on human behavior.

At Qiado, Jerome helps businesses migrate to SAP S/4HANA without the usual chaos. Resistance to change? He addresses it. Misaligned teams? He aligns them. By using tools like systemic coaching and process modeling, he ensures transformations stick—not only in the software but also in the hearts and minds of the people using it. “The best systems don’t just solve problems,” he often says, “they inspire people to embrace solutions.”

In this story, we’ll uncover how Jerome helps companies solve complex problems like legacy integrations and leadership disconnects. However, more than that, you’ll see how he turns transformation into a shared victory—one that empowers people as much as it improves processes.

MR: How has your career journey shaped your expertise in SAP and transformation leadership?

Jerome: My career started with a deep dive into SAP technologies, specifically ABAP programming and Process Integration. Over 17 years, I’ve had the privilege of working on complex SAP projects in the telecommunications industry with giants like Accenture and Telefonica Germany. These experiences gave me hands-on experience in SAP integration, finance process optimization, and large-scale transformations.

When I joined Qiado GmbH, I found an opportunity to combine my technical knowledge with a passion for people-centric change. As a Transformation Partner, I lead a team that focuses on delivering both technological and cultural transformations. Our goal is to help clients achieve sustainable success with S/4HANA and beyond.

MR:  How does Qiado GmbH differentiate itself in the market of SAP transformation services, and what unique value proposition do you offer to your clients?

Jerome: At Qiado GmbH, we’re committed to bridging the gap between technology and people in SAP transformations. Our services are designed to address both the technical and human aspects of digital transformation. We offer a comprehensive range of services, including:

  • S/4HANA implementation, testing, and migration.
  • Integration of third-party systems into SAP S/4HANA landscapes.
  • Contract and Lease Management (CLM) optimization using SAP RE/FX.
  • Change management and systemic coaching to support organizational transitions.
  • Process mining and modeling with SAP Signavio.
  • Enterprise Architecture Management leveraging SAP LeanIX.

However, what truly sets us apart is our people-centric approach. We believe that successful transformations require more than just technical expertise. Our systemic coaching principles help us address cultural barriers, align leadership, and engage teams.

MR: What are the biggest challenges businesses face during S/4HANA transformations, and how does Qiado help overcome them?

Jerome: S/4HANA transformations come with several challenges, including:

  • Resistance to change among employees.
  • Misalignment between leadership and operational teams.
  • Integration issues with legacy systems.
  • Unrealistic timelines and expectations.

In my experience, overcoming these challenges requires a strong commitment from everyone involved. At Qiado, we address these issues through a dual focus on technology and people.

Our systemic coaching framework is designed to address both technical and human aspects. 

We work closely with leadership teams to align strategies and expectations, fostering open communication and building a culture of trust. This approach helps mitigate resistance to change and ensures that everyone is working towards a common goal.

On the technical front, we leverage powerful tools like SAP Signavio to visualize and optimize business processes, and SAP Cloud ALM to automate testing and streamline deployments. By combining these technological solutions with our proven coaching methodology, we can deliver efficient and effective S/4HANA implementations.

MR: What’s the most fulfilling aspect of your role as a Transformation Partner?

Jerome: As a Transformation Partner, my responsibilities include leading large-scale SAP transformation projects, ensuring alignment between technical goals and organizational culture, and driving innovation in change management and systemic coaching.

What truly excites me is the opportunity to drive not just technological change, but also a cultural transformation. These projects aren’t just about implementing new software; they are about empowering organizations to think differently, adopt innovative solutions, and foster a culture of continuous improvement. It’s incredibly rewarding to witness the transformation of both systems and mindsets.

MR: How do you ensure team engagement and buy-in during complex transformation projects?

Jerome: People engagement is a critical factor in the success of any transformation. We prioritize building buy-in through a multi-pronged approach:

  • Systemic Coaching: We address fears, foster acceptance, and promote ownership among teams.
  • Targeted Training: We conduct tailored workshops to equip stakeholders with the necessary skills and confidence.
  • Open Communication: We create safe spaces for feedback and collaboration to ensure transparency and trust.

By combining these strategies, we mitigate resistance, build momentum, and cultivate a positive attitude toward the transformation journey.

MR: Agile leadership is crucial to successful SAP transformations. Can you elaborate on the specific agile principles that you find most impactful?

Jerome: Absolutely. Agile principles are the cornerstone of successful SAP transformations. They allow for flexibility, collaboration, and a strong customer focus. Here are some of the key principles we employ:

  • Customer Focus: We prioritize understanding and meeting the needs of our end-users. This involves constant communication and collaboration.
  • Collaboration: Cross-functional teams work together seamlessly, breaking down silos and ensuring alignment between IT and business units.
  • Adaptability: Agile allows us to embrace change and pivot quickly to meet evolving business requirements.
  • Incremental Delivery: By delivering smaller, iterative releases, we reduce risk, accelerate time to market, and gather valuable feedback.
  • Continuous Improvement: We regularly assess our processes and practices to identify areas for improvement and optimize our approach.

Agile offers a multitude of benefits, including:

  • Flexibility: Teams can respond swiftly to changes, minimizing disruptions to operations.
  • Transparency: Real-time insights keep all stakeholders aligned and informed throughout the project lifecycle.
  • Empowered Teams: Self-organizing teams, built on trust, drive innovation and ownership.
  • Reduced Risk: Frequent deliveries and iterative feedback address issues early, ensuring smoother project execution.
  • Customer Satisfaction: Iterative development processes produce solutions that adapt and improve over time, ensuring they remain relevant to user needs.

MR: Could you share a specific project where you implemented an SAP solution that significantly impacted a client’s business?

Jerome: Certainly. One of the most impactful projects I worked on was a CO-PA integration for a major European telecommunications company. This company was in the midst of a large-scale SAP S/4HANA transformation. Their goal was to improve their profitability analysis capabilities.

However, they were facing several challenges, including the integration of data from multiple non-SAP systems and the need to comply with SAP group standards. Additionally, their existing profitability analysis lacked the depth and granularity required to make informed decisions.

To address these challenges, we implemented a robust solution leveraging SAP BRF+ for real-time data enrichment. By integrating this solution with the client’s SAP S/4HANA system, hosted on Microsoft Azure, we were able to:

  • Seamlessly integrate data from 20 different non-SAP systems
  • Ensure compliance with SAP group requirements
  • Enhance the derivation of profitability-related information

This enabled the client to gain deeper insights into their profitability across various dimensions, such as product, customer, and sales channels. The project ultimately empowered the client’s controlling team to make more data-driven decisions and optimize resource allocation.

MR: How do you balance your demanding professional life with personal well-being and growth?

Jerome: Finding balance is crucial for sustained performance. I believe in a systemic approach to coaching, which extends beyond the professional realm. I take time for personal reflection and growth, seeking out opportunities to gain new perspectives and recharge.

Additionally, I enjoy coaching youth soccer, which allows me to apply my leadership skills in a different context. This experience not only reinforces my professional abilities but also provides a platform for personal growth and development.

MR: What are you most excited about in the future of Qiado and S/4HANA transformations?

Jerome: I’m really excited about expanding our systemic coaching offerings for S/4HANA transformations. We see a growing demand for people-centered change management, in addition to the technical aspects.

We are currently working on scaling our coaching workshops and exploring the use of AI-assisted tools to enhance engagement and adoption rates. We’re particularly excited about a new project with a global market leader in chemical and ingredient distribution, where we’ll be implementing these strategies.

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Read More: Industry Game-Changers: The Top 10 SAP Partners Transforming the Industry in 2025

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