Independent CIO Advisory
ERP programs rarely fail suddenly. I help leadership see structural risk before it reaches operations.
Schedule a ConversationThe Pattern
Programs rarely fail suddenly. They drift long before the risk becomes visible. The signals are present—but the program's own reporting is designed to show progress, not expose it.
Dashboards look healthy.
Operators aren't confident.
Status reports show on-track milestones. Dashboards show progress. Real-world operating behavior hasn't been proven under actual conditions.
Testing proves completion.
It doesn't prove readiness.
Milestones are met. Scripts are signed off. But real operating scenarios—exceptions, cross-site flows, actual data conditions—haven't been verified.
The system works.
The business doesn't own it.
The program team can explain it. The business team can't run it without them. Ownership sits in the wrong place for the morning after go-live.
Issues are tracked.
Root causes remain.
Risks and defects are logged, categorized, current. Underlying gaps in data, process, and accountability aren't in the log—they were baked in months earlier.
What I Do
I work directly with CIOs and executive teams when execution starts to lose alignment with reality—before disruption reaches the business.
I am not observing the program.
I am accountable for how it runs.
See what the program isn't showing
What's reported isn't always what's real.
I focus on where execution actually breaks—across data, testing, and day-to-day operations—and reconcile that with what the program says is on track.
Re-anchor ownership in the business
ERP doesn't fail in the system. It fails when the business doesn't own it.
I work directly with functional leaders and middle management to re-establish accountability where outcomes actually sit.
Test how the business actually runs
Completion isn't readiness. If it hasn't been run for real, it isn't ready.
I focus on real scenarios—exceptions, cross-site flows, and real data conditions—that expose gaps before go-live does.
Stabilize without resetting the program
You don't need to start over. You need control.
I isolate the few structural issues that matter most and create a clear path forward without unnecessary disruption.
This is typically where I'm brought in—when the program still looks manageable, but confidence is starting to erode.
Background
Not observing from the outside. Accountable for both platform delivery and business execution. Working directly with executive sponsors, functional leaders, and operators. Global scope. Regulated complexity. Real operational risk.
15+
Enterprise programs across global operations
$300M+
Working capital gains through tech-driven alignment
$75M+
Cost savings via process modernization
20+
Years executive IT leadership in complex transformations
Kevin Kracher is a former Global Vice President of IT at Zimmer Biomet with executive leadership experience across Johnson & Johnson, GE Aerospace, and Lockheed Martin.
His work has focused on ERP transformation, digital manufacturing, supply chain modernization, and operational stabilization inside highly regulated global environments—with direct accountability for outcomes, not just advice. Results that show up in operations—not just dashboards.
Perspectives
Why ERP Programs Fail Before Go-Live
The failure mode is not technical. It is the slow accumulation of unresolved ownership gaps that status reporting never surfaces.
Artificial Confidence Is the Real Risk
When dashboards consistently show green, leaders stop asking hard questions. That is precisely when programs become most vulnerable.
Testing Isn't Rehearsal Until Operations Own It
Completing test scripts proves the system was configured. It says almost nothing about whether the business can actually execute.
Who Calls Me
Most start with a feeling. A CFO who senses the program is more fragile than the reports suggest. A CIO whose team has stopped pushing back. A board asking questions the program office can't quite answer.
Let's Talk
Most of these conversations start with a leader who senses a problem before they can name it. That is exactly the right moment.
Schedule a Conversation