the challenge.

Several complexities shaped the carve-out.

  • the business challenge: high stakes, zero margin for error

    The 10-month Transition Services Agreement (TSA) came with significant financial penalties for any delay. The carve-out required navigating operational complexities that threatened financial performance from day one.

  • deep infrastructure dependency

    At acquisition, the company had no independent IT footprint and was 100% reliant on the parent organization’s legacy environment. Core functions, including identity (Active Directory), network (MPLS), collaboration (G-Suite) and data center infrastructure, were owned by the parent and scheduled for decommissioning at TSA expiration. 

  • industrial complexity across 17+ sites

    The business operated 17+ chemical manufacturing facilities where production downtime was not an option. Each site relied on tightly segmented IT and plant-floor operational technology (OT) networks designed to protect safety-critical systems. The separation required moving thousands of users and 75+ applications without disrupting production. 

  • limited internal capacity

    The internal IT team was lean and structured for steady-state operations, lacking the bandwidth or specialized expertise to manage a multi-tower separation across 30+ concurrent workstreams. Without a partner to orchestrate cloud, security and networking domains, the risk of TSA “slip” and margin erosion was high.

  • strategic imperative

    The objective wasn’t merely to survive the separation but to transform a dependent subsidiary into a scalable, enterprise-grade platform. The new environment had to eliminate legacy technical debt, onboard future bolt-on acquisitions efficiently and enable long-term value creation.

the solution.

To meet the 10-month deadline, Randstad Digital used a disciplined five-phase transition framework.

  • blueprint & separation planning

    A dedicated program management office (PMO) was established to align multiple vendor partners and internal stakeholders. 

    • architectural rigor: Conducted workshops to define security, availability and cloud governance requirements and deliver detailed system designs across all domains.
    • predictable execution: Developed a migration playbook and a milestone-driven roadmap aligned to TSA expiration.
    • risk mitigation: Proactive risk management to ensure that over 95% of project milestones were achieved on schedule.

  • infrastructure & identity stand-up

    With no legacy environment to leverage, the team executed a “blank canvas” greenfield build.

    • rapid cloud deployment: Architected and deployed fully automated dual-cloud AWS and Azure landing zones in under 30 business days.
    • automated governance: Utilized infrastructure-as-code (IaC) and tools like AWS Control Tower and Azure Blueprints to ensure a secure and compliant environment.
    • identity reset: Established a modern Azure Entra ID identity framework with zero trust security principles, MFA and conditional access controls.
    • speed to value: Reduced environment provisioning timelines from 3-4 weeks to <24 hours, which enabled the rapid onboarding of users and apps.

  • migration & systems separation

    Migration required precise orchestration to ensure zero downtime across 17+ manufacturing sites.

    • application & workload migration: Transitioned 75+ applications and dozens of cloud workloads to the new greenfield environment.
    • end-user modernization: Deployed 972 devices and implemented Windows 365 Cloud PCs, allowing users to access secure remote desktops within two hours.
    • unified communications: Ported thousands of numbers into Microsoft Teams, eliminating legacy telephony and reducing telecom costs by 35%-50%.
    • OT precision: Migrated seven core manufacturing plants within an 8-week window, achieving a 98% first-pass success rate for OT cutovers and ensuring uninterrupted plant-floor connectivity.

  • optimization & cost realignment

    Beyond separation, the transformation improved margins, eliminated technical debt and reduced CapEx through a cloud-native model:

    • network modernization: Replaced legacy private network infrastructure with modern software-defined networking, reducing wide-area network costs by 40%-60%.
    • zero trust architecture: Implemented a VPN-free networking model using Zscaler (ZIA/ZPA), significantly reducing the external attack surface.
    • efficiency gains: Automation and centralized cloud management reduced desk-side support incidents by 40% and freed up 40% of internal IT capacity.

  • transition to managed services

    To ensure sustained stability, the engagement transitioned into a long-term managed services partnership.

    • hypercare & handoff: Provided 60 days of intensive support and knowledge transfer, including 100% runbook documentation for all workstreams.
    • sustained performance: Established 24/7 support (from basic help desk to advanced engineering support) across cloud, network, security, telephony and OT environments, maintaining 95%+ SLA compliance.
    • operational readiness: Achieved a 70% reduction in post-migration escalations, allowing the client’s internal leadership to focus on strategic growth.

the results.

The transformation shifted the company from total dependency to a high-performance standalone platform, delivering critical value creation for our private equity client.

1. financial impact & EBITDA expansion:

  • TSA compliance: Achieved 100% operational independence within the strict 10-month deadline, eliminating the risk of financial penalties.
  • structural cost reduction: Replaced legacy infrastructure with modern solutions, slashing WAN costs by 40%-60% and telecom spend by 35%-50%.
  • operational efficiency: Automation freed 40% of internal IT capacity while reducing desk-side support incidents by 40%.

2. operational continuity & industrial reliability:

  • revenue protection: Migrated 17+ manufacturing sites with zero production downtime, preserving top-line revenue during separation.
  • OT precision: Executed operational technology migrations with a 98% first-pass success rate and no safety impacts.

3. M&A velocity & scalability:

  • accelerated integration: Slashed environment provisioning from weeks to under 24 hours, an 85% acceleration.
  • “plug-and-play” platform: Established repeatable migration playbooks and a scalable cloud backbone designed for rapid bolt-on acquisitions.

4. strategic exit positioning:

  • multiple expansion: Replaced technical debt with a zero trust, cloud-native architecture, increasing asset transparency and security for the next buyer.
  • standardization: Built a documented, enterprise-grade environment (including 100% runbook completion that reduced post-migration escalations by 70%), reducing integration risk and enhancing valuation at exit.