Bridging IAM and PAM Systems Post-Merger for a Global Agricultural Giant

A major multinational agricultural company, formed through the merger of two large organizations, embarked on a significant security transformation initiative. The company needed to consolidate disparate Identity and Access Management (IAM) and Privileged Access Management (PAM) systems, processes, and governance structures into a single, unified program for the newly formed entity. The project focused on creating a cohesive IAM/PAM framework to enhance security, improve efficiency, and support the integrated global operations.

Highlights

Challenge

The merger presented substantial challenges in harmonizing the distinct IAM and PAM landscapes of the two legacy organizations. KeyData Cyber was engaged to help navigate this complexity. Our client’s specific challenges included:

• Disparate Systems & Governance: Separate IAM/PAM tools and policies caused inconsistencies, operational friction, and governance gaps across the global workforce, making it difficult to enforce unified security policies and access controls.
• Manual & Inefficient Processes: Redundant, manual user lifecycle management processes (onboarding, offboarding, transfers) created inefficiencies across regions and systems.
• Complex Integration & Scalability Needs: Our client faced significant challenges in the integration of a complex application portfolio (e.g., Active Directory, SAP, O365, CyberArk) and the need to scale the solution for a large, global workforce.

Solution

KeyData Cyber partnered with the agricultural leader to design and implement a comprehensive, unified IAM and PAM program. Our approach included:

• Strategic Planning & Roadmap: We conducted an in-depth IAM and PAM assessment of both legacy environments, designed a unified target state architecture, and developed a pragmatic, multi-phase roadmap addressing the company's post-merger priorities.
• Centralized IGA Platform Implementation: We deployed and configured SailPoint IdentityIQ as the core IGA platform to provide centralized governance, automation, and visibility.
• Automated Lifecycle Management: Our engineers designed and automated key user lifecycle processes (onboarding, offboarding, cross-boarding), leveraging SAP as the primary authoritative source for identity data to ensure accuracy and efficiency. 
• Extensive System Integration: We successfully integrated SailPoint with the client's critical enterprise systems, including: 

1. 5 Active Directory Domains and O365
2. SAP ECC, BW, GTS, Flori, and S/4 HANA (via SAP GRC integration)
3. Oracle EBS
4. CyberArk (for PAM integration, including OT environments)
5. ServiceNow (for access requests and contractor management workflows)

• Enhanced Governance & User Experience: Our team implemented robust access certification campaigns (especially for privileged access and contractor validation) and configured self-service password reset capabilities (via Azure) and password synchronization to improve user experience and reduce helpdesk load.
• Ongoing Managed Services: Following successful implementation, KeyData Cyber was retained to provide ongoing Managed Services, ensuring the stability, maintenance, and optimization of the SailPoint environment.

Outcomes

The strategic partnership and implemented solution delivered significant results, successfully meeting project milestones on time and within budget:

• Unified IAM/PAM Framework: Governance is now streamlined through a single, coherent target state architecture, consistent processes, and unified technology management across the newly merged global entity.
• Increased Operational Efficiency: Our client achieved substantial efficiency gains by automating user lifecycle management and access provisioning across numerous critical systems, reducing manual effort and errors.
• Improved Security & Compliance: This engagement significantly enhanced the organization's security posture and ability to meet compliance requirements through centralized controls, automated policy enforcement, robust access certifications, and seamless PAM integration.
• Successful Complex Integration: Seamless integration of a wide array of disparate and critical business applications (SAP, AD, Oracle, ServiceNow, CyberArk) into the central IAM platform.

Our successful engagement addressed the client's complex post-merger integration challenges, delivering a centralized, automated, and governed IAM/PAM solution. This global agricultural leader now benefits from improved efficiency, enhanced security, and a scalable foundation for future identity management needs.