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Global Target Operating Model & GBS Transformation
30% Finance Cost Reduction with Stronger Controls and Enterprise Accountability
Context
A large multinational enterprise operating across 80+ markets managed Finance, Order-to-Cash, Procurement, and Supply Chain delivery through fragmented regional structures.
The model drove high structural cost, inconsistent control environments, and limited enterprise visibility — positioning Finance primarily as a transactional service rather than a strategic partner.
The Strategic Challenge
Leadership needed to redesign the global operating model to reduce cost, strengthen governance, and enable business partnering — without disrupting complex regulatory environments or live operations.
The objective was not simply efficiency, but a structural shift toward a scalable, value-led enterprise operating model.
What Changed
The transformation began with operating-model design — clarifying ownership, governance, and how work should flow across the enterprise.
Key design shifts included:
- Segmentation of work into global, regional, and in-market layers
- Centralisation and standardisation of transactional and control-intensive activities
- Retention of judgement-led work close to the business
- Establishment of Centres of Excellence for Controls, Analytics, and Process Excellence
- Alignment of automation and technology to operating-model outcomes — not isolated initiatives
- Introduction of hybrid captive–partner delivery supported by outcome-based governance
The Result
- ~30% reduction in Finance operating cost within 18 months
- Stronger audit outcomes and control consistency across markets
- Improved transparency and enterprise governance
- Finance repositioned as a trusted business partner rather than a transactional function. The model established a clear path toward 45–50% structural efficiency over a multi-year horizon
Why This Worked
Transformation succeeded because it started with value-led operating-model design — not headcount reduction or technology deployment in isolation.
By aligning decision ownership, governance, and execution, the organisation moved from fragmented initiatives to a coordinated enterprise capability
