Saif is available for hire
Hire SaifSaif Farrukh
Verified Expert in Engineering
SAP Architect and Developer
Location
Chicago, IL, United States
Toptal Member Since
April 3, 2024
Saif is an SAP and digital transformation expert and a dynamic, innovative business leader who drives strategic technology shifts in Fortune 100 firms. He is renowned for overseeing large-scale SAP projects, including the world's most extensive S/4HANA retail implementation. Recognized for innovation and implementing cutting-edge solutions, Saif has driven global teams, replacing legacy applications with modern platforms and steering ECC to S/4HANA upgrades.
Portfolio
CHS
SAP, JDE, SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP), Azure, SAP on Azure...
Spectrum Brands
SAP, SAP Business Warehouse (BW), SAP Extended Warehouse Management (EWM)...
Johnson Controls
SAP, SAP MDG, OpenText, SAP HANA, Oracle, System Migration, SAP S/4HANA...
Experience
Availability
Full-time
Preferred Environment
SAP, Azure, Cloud, SAP on Azure, SAP S/4HANA
The most amazing...
...work I've experienced is creating a SAP hybrid architecture and showcasing it at renowned industry events such as SAP Sapphire, TechEd, and ASUG.
Work Experience
SAP Enterprise Architect
2022 - PRESENT
CHS
- Provided strategic recommendations for infrastructure design, solution development, architecture, application frameworks, and interfaces for on-prem and cloud-based solutions.
- Developed a dual-instance strategy for SAP tailored to agriculture and energy business units, meticulously evaluating pros and cons while delivering comprehensive recommendations for development, testing, and support frameworks.
- Assessed legacy applications, processes, and integrations with SAP and Sunset Systems by migrating their capabilities to SAP. Partnered with business and technology subject experts to translate business requirements into technological solutions.
- Created long-term strategies for using SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP), Cloud Platform Integration (CPI), Datasphere, clean core, and other latest technologies.
- Evaluated and implemented data masking solutions to scramble sensitive data. Evaluated RISE with SAP, conducted cost-benefit analysis, assessed in-house capabilities and support structure, and provided recommendations.
Technologies: SAP, JDE, SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP), Azure, SAP on Azure, SAP LSMW Data Migrations, SAP Upgrade, SAP Migration, Databases, GAP Analysis, Legacy Software, SAP S/4HANA, SAP HANA, RISE with SAP, Cloud Infrastructure, IT Infrastructure, SAP Basis, Operations Management, Organizational Strategy, Strategy, Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure, SAP Datasphere, Integration, SAP S/4HANA Cloud, SAP Performance Tuning
Enterprise Architect
2020 - 2022
Spectrum Brands
- Took charge of the worldwide rollout of S/4HANA 2021 alongside SAP Data Warehouse (DW), Master Data Governance (MDG), Process Integration/Process Orchestration (PI/PO), Business Objects Data Services (BODS), and Global Trade Services (GTS).
- Collaborated closely with business, functional, and technical teams to assess existing business processes and seamlessly transition them to standardized S/4HANA functionality.
- Spearheaded the procurement process for selecting cloud hyperscalers, system integrators, and other 3rd-party service providers. Developed architectural standards, created reference architecture, and aligned business and IT strategies.
- Delivered informed recommendations for implementing SAP Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) solutions.
- Led and managed the cloud implementation team in deploying SAP on Azure, including providing solutions for high availability, disaster recovery, and fail-over/fail-back to meet robust recovery time objective (RTO) and recovery point objective (RPO).
- Steered the architecture and design function, which included delivery of key capabilities and integration with SAP BTP, Concur, Analytics Cloud (SAC), Integrated Business Planning (IBP), and legacy applications.
- Conducted a SAP sizing exercise and evaluated current data growth trends, archiving options, data aging, data storage, presentation, migration, and governance. Developed and oversaw release management strategies for upgrades and global deployment.
- Provided strategic recommendations to create front-end UX strategies for global instance connectivity. Led teams to define the project scope, statement of work, deliverables, performance metrics, SLAs, and support matrix.
- Drove the initiative to analyze gaps, define requirements, and develop the analytics strategy for SAP Business Warehouse (BW) reporting. Created a "SAP-1st strategy" and evaluated and sunset legacy applications by migrating the functionality to SAP.
- Worked with technical and functional teams to establish and configure SAP Solution Manager, data volume management, project management, condition contract management, technical monitoring, and testing frameworks.
Technologies: SAP, SAP Business Warehouse (BW), SAP Extended Warehouse Management (EWM), SAP FICO, SAP MDG, SAP Process Integration (PI), Data Warehousing, SAP on Azure, Integration, SAP Release Management, SAP Solution Management, SAP S/4HANA, SAP S/4HANA Cloud, RISE with SAP, Cloud Infrastructure, IT Infrastructure, SAP Migration, SAP Basis, IT Project Management, IT Security, Operations Management, Organizational Strategy, Strategy, Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure, Databases, SAP Upgrade, SAP Performance Tuning, Change Management
SAP Technical Architect
2020 - 2020
Johnson Controls
- Handled the technical architecture of separating the SAP environment as part of divestiture. Created cutover, migration, and support plans for the Johnson Controls International (JCI) and Clarios systems, including shared and entangled environments.
- Created strategies for the TSA and JCI application management services support exit. Provided technical expertise for the SAP MDG upgrade project and managed technical issues, defects, and other deliverables.
- Steered the creation of MDG clones for different environments, cleaned the JCI master data, users, and interfaces, and delivered the MDG system to Clarios.
- Built duplicate environments and used virtual machine (VM) replication, double-take, and Oracle GoldenGate to migrate SAP applications and various database types, including Oracle, HANA, MaxDB, and SQL Server to Clarios.
- Served as technical liaison between JCI leadership and Clarios teams. Collaborated with the IXOS, OpenText, and archiving team for Kofax Dolphin separation and migration.
- Managed different teams, including SAP Basis, security, network, server engineering, backup/recovery, batch jobs, and DNS. Monitored and supported teams in migrating data from JCI to Clarios SAP instances.
- Led the decommissioning and support exit process for Clarios NA and EMEA environments at JCI. Represented JCI leadership in leading and supporting the successful separation, migration, cutover, and go-live of the NA and EMEA SAP Project Systems.
Technologies: SAP, SAP MDG, OpenText, SAP HANA, Oracle, System Migration, SAP S/4HANA, Cloud Infrastructure, IT Infrastructure, SAP Migration, SAP Basis, Integration, IT Project Management, Operations Management, SAP S/4HANA Cloud
Lead SAP Technical Architect
2016 - 2020
Walgreens Boots Alliance
- Developed a comprehensive multiyear IT strategic plan and roadmap, facilitating digital transformation initiatives to modernize and revitalize the business landscape.
- Drove the architecture and design team in the retail and finance transformation program, overseeing collaboration with stakeholders such as Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) and system integrators like Accenture, SAP, Ariba, TCS, and external partners.
- Created and executed a hybrid cloud technical architecture solution, leveraging Microsoft Azure and on-premise environments to accommodate the world's largest SAP S/4HANA retail implementation.
- Spearheaded the migration of the SAP on-premise ecosystem to the Azure Cloud HANA Large Instance (HLI), overseeing the seamless transition and migration of Oracle databases to HANA and SQL Server platforms.
- Oversaw cross-functional teams comprising SAP, HPE, Accenture, TCS, and WBA, overseeing network, storage, data center, backup/recovery, monitoring, and critical operations team activities to host and maintain a sophisticated SAP environment.
- Designed and executed a scale-out solution for S/4HANA to accommodate exceptionally large databases.
- Built and implemented high availability and disaster recovery solutions, ensuring adherence to rigorous RTO and RPO criteria.
- Assessed sizing needs and aligned with Azure technical bill of materials (TBOM), defining availability sets and zones, storage, networking, monitoring, and cost management strategies.
- Achieved 35% in savings through cost-reduction strategies for Azure. Led and managed the SAP data conversion and upgrade to S/4HANA 1709 and HANA 2 and worked with the SAP sizing team to estimate data growth for extensive S/4 and BW environments.
- Led the request for proposal process for selecting on-premise HANA appliance and tailored data-center integration hardware. Assessed future hardware roadmaps for large scale-up and scale-out environments.
Technologies: SAP S/4HANA, SAP S/4HANA Cloud, SAP on Azure, SAP BW on HANA, Customer Activity Repository (SAP CAR), Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure, SAP Process Integration (PI), Linux, SUSE, Disaster Recovery Plans (DRP), High Availability Disaster Recovery (HADR), Azure, Azure IaaS, Azure PaaS, Oracle, SAP BusinessObjects (BO), SAP Business Warehouse (BW), SAP Fiori, POS, Handheld Devices, SAP Data Conversion, SAP Upgrade, SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP), Business Systems Analysis, Information Security, Financial Management, SAP Basis, Cloud Infrastructure, IT Infrastructure, SAP Migration, SAP, Integration, IT Project Management, IT Security, Information Systems, Operations Management, Organizational Strategy, Strategy, Databases, ITIL V3 Foundation Certified, SAP FICO, SAP Performance Tuning, Change Management
SAP Basis Manager
2014 - 2016
Ingredion
- Established a global center of excellence to optimize SAP practices and processes. Directed a global team to maintain and enhance complex SAP systems and landscapes. Reorganized SAP Basis, security, infrastructure, and database administration teams.
- Collaborated with Deloitte, SAP, and other vendors to assess and finalize infrastructure, landscape, and migration strategies for transitioning BW on SAP HANA, ECC 6 to S/4 HANA, and managing M&A activities.
- Evaluated cloud providers and migrated non-production systems to GCP. Implemented archiving strategies via data volume management to minimize data footprint pre-HANA migration and executed the POC for ECC 6 to S/4HANA migration.
- Transitioned physical HP-UX systems to SLES and VMware environments. Deployed Prometheus for asset management and executed disaster recovery exercises to validate recoveries and business continuity plans.
- Developed release and deployment strategies for SAP upgrades and global rollouts. Strategized and planned for the consolidation and integration of systems during M&As.
Technologies: SAP, SAP HANA, SAP ECC, IT Infrastructure, Cloud Infrastructure, Oracle, Databases, SAP Basis, Helpdesk, SAP Migration, SAP S/4HANA, IT Security, Information Systems, Operations Management, Organizational Strategy, Strategy, Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure, ITIL V3 Foundation Certified, Integration, SAP FICO, SAP S/4HANA Cloud, SAP Upgrade, Change Management
SAP Basis Manager
2008 - 2014
PepsiCo
- Contributed to a billion-dollar project and the world's 2nd largest SAP implementation to deploy SAP globally in all regions, including Latin America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand.
- Directed a global SAP greenfield initiative, deploying ECC 6, SCM 7, EWM 7, PI 7.1, CRM 7, BW 7.3, Enterprise Portal 7, Supplier Relationship Management 7, and Solution Manager. Supported technical cutover and go-lives monthly.
- Developed SAP landscape strategies encompassing infrastructure planning, sizing, architectural design, hosting, and support.
- Spearheaded cutting-edge initiatives, such as new global initiatives to reduce infrastructure costs, migrating from HP-UX Itanium blades to SLES and VMs.
- Managed a global center of excellence team and vendors to conduct POCs. Created deployment and support guidelines, including SLA compliance, resources management, budgets, cost estimates, and change management.
- Performed diverse system copies, installations, kernel upgrades, add-on installations, SAP OSS Notes application, total cost of ownership, and go-live support. Strategized and executed numerous SAP upgrades in a complex environment.
- Created and implemented disaster recovery and business continuity plans. Devised global infrastructure strategies, incorporating cloud computing, public and private clouds, and virtualization implementations.
- Established, executed, and upgraded SAP Solution Manager, EarlyWatch Alert, maintenance optimizer, change request management, and service-level reporting monitoring systems. Managed changes in the HPE data center's operating system and hardware.
Technologies: SAP, SAP ECC, HP-UX, Linux, IT Management, IT Projects, IT Project Management, SAP Business Warehouse (BW), SAP Process Integration (PI), SAP Enterprise Portal, Change Management, SAP Basis, IT Infrastructure, SAP Migration, Integration, IT Security, Information Systems, Financial Management, Operations Management, Organizational Strategy, Strategy, Databases, ITIL V3 Foundation Certified, SAP FICO, SAP Upgrade, SAP Performance Tuning
SAP Basis Consultant
2006 - 2008
Molex
- Led upgrades for SAP CRM, BI, and ECC systems to enhance functionality and efficiency.
- Conducted performance-tuning initiatives to optimize the SAP environment for improved operational effectiveness.
- Served as a change manager for all infrastructure and SAP application changes going into the production environment after careful testing in the non-production environment.
Technologies: SAP CRM, SAP Business Intelligence (BI), SAP Performance Tuning, SAP Basis, IT Infrastructure, SAP Migration, ABAP, SAP, IT Project Management, Information Systems, Strategy, Databases
Lead SAP Basis Architect
2005 - 2006
IBS Newport Steel Group
- Analyzed business and architectural needs, conducted capacity planning, generated SAP sizing using Quick Sizer, researched hardware solutions, and procured the necessary hardware for the project.
- Planned and engineered the data center's configuration and layout to accommodate the SAP infrastructure, considering server placement, network architecture, cooling systems, power supply, and physical security factors.
- Set up and configured IBM p550 hardware with the AIX operating system, ensuring seamless integration with SAP Business Suite components and optimal performance and compatibility.
- Leveraged SAP best practices and accelerated SAP methodologies for all project phases, ensuring thorough project preparation, business blueprinting, realization, final preparation, smooth go-live, and ongoing support.
Technologies: SAP ECC, SAP Solution Management, IBM P702, IBM SAN, AIX, Oracle, Databases, Server Backups, High Availability Disaster Recovery (HADR), IBM Tivoli Storage Manager, Operations Research, Windows Server, SAP Basis, IT Infrastructure, SAP Migration, ABAP, SAP, IT Project Management, Information Systems, Financial Management, Organizational Strategy, Strategy, ITIL V3 Foundation Certified, SAP FICO
SAP Basis and Project Manager
1998 - 2005
Rexam Beverage Cans
- Directed the infrastructure design team to ascertain system architectural needs, perform capacity planning, oversee procurement, and configure hardware for SAP installations.
- Collaborated with Big Five auditing companies for corporate-wide system security and auditing.
- Performed an enterprise-wide analysis of the helpdesk, identifying points of failure, and crafted call flow charts, escalation procedures, and information-sharing protocols.
- Implemented a one-call resolution and helpdesk ticket monitoring system with penalties for mishandling tickets.
Technologies: SAP, IT Infrastructure, HP-UX, Operations Management, Marketing Research & Analysis, Windows Server, Helpdesk, SAP Migration, SAP Basis, COBOL, ABAP, IT Project Management, Information Systems, Financial Management, Organizational Strategy, Strategy, ITIL V3 Foundation Certified, SAP Upgrade
Experience
Hybrid Technical Architecture Solution for the World's Largest SAP S/4HANA Retail Implementation
https://tinyurl.com/saifSAPProject/Developed and implemented a hybrid cloud technical architecture on Microsoft Azure and an on-premise environment for hosting the world's largest SAP S/4HANA retail implementation. This solution integrated cutting-edge cloud and on-premise infrastructure to deliver unparalleled scalability, flexibility, and performance for the retail industry's most extensive SAP deployment.
Global IT Cost Reduction Initiative
Directed the Global Cost Reduction initiative, which enhanced operational efficiencies, optimized IT spending, and facilitated innovation, resulting in annual savings of approximately $1.2 million.
OBJECTIVES
• Cost optimization: Identify and eliminate inefficiencies, redundancies, and unnecessary expenditures across IT operations and infrastructure.
• Resource rationalization: Align resources with strategic priorities and business needs.
• Vendor management: Optimize vendor relationships, renegotiate contracts, and consolidate vendor portfolios for cost savings.
• Process improvement: Implement lean methodologies and automation to streamline IT processes, reduce manual efforts, and enhance productivity.
• Infrastructure optimization: Consolidate data centers, leverage cloud technologies, and optimize network infrastructure to reduce infrastructure-related costs.
• Outsourcing and offshoring: Expand outsourcing and offshoring initiatives to leverage cost-effective resources and drive operational efficiencies.
OBJECTIVES
• Cost optimization: Identify and eliminate inefficiencies, redundancies, and unnecessary expenditures across IT operations and infrastructure.
• Resource rationalization: Align resources with strategic priorities and business needs.
• Vendor management: Optimize vendor relationships, renegotiate contracts, and consolidate vendor portfolios for cost savings.
• Process improvement: Implement lean methodologies and automation to streamline IT processes, reduce manual efforts, and enhance productivity.
• Infrastructure optimization: Consolidate data centers, leverage cloud technologies, and optimize network infrastructure to reduce infrastructure-related costs.
• Outsourcing and offshoring: Expand outsourcing and offshoring initiatives to leverage cost-effective resources and drive operational efficiencies.
Multi-year IT Strategic Plan and Roadmap to Enable Digital Transformation
Developed a multi-year IT strategic plan and roadmap to enable digital transformation to modernize and transform the business. I created a strategic blueprint to modernize, innovate, and revolutionize technology and business processes to gain a competitive edge.
Education
2000 - 2002
Master's Degree in Information Systems
DePaul University - Chicago, IL, USA
1989 - 1991
Master's Degree in Advertising and Marketing
Osmania University - Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Certifications
JANUARY 2020 - PRESENT
ITIL 4 Foundation
Axelos
JANUARY 2020 - PRESENT
Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals
Microsoft
Skills
Tools
SAP S/4HANA, SAP Extended Warehouse Management (EWM), SAP MDG, SAP Solution Management, SAP Fiori
Platforms
SAP HANA, Linux, HP-UX, Azure, Oracle, Azure IaaS, Azure PaaS, AIX, Windows Server
Paradigms
Change Management
Languages
COBOL, ABAP, Java
Storage
SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Databases, SUSE
Other
Business Systems Analysis, IT Project Management, IT Management, Integration, Information Systems, Information Security, Advertising, Operations Management, Organizational Strategy, Strategy, SAP, SAP Release Management, System Migration, Disaster Recovery Plans (DRP), High Availability Disaster Recovery (HADR), SAP Upgrade, SAP ECC, IT Infrastructure, Cloud Infrastructure, SAP Basis, IT Projects, SAP Performance Tuning, IT Security, Marketing Mix, Financial Management, Operations Research, Marketing Research & Analysis, GAP Analysis, SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP), SAP on Azure, SAP LSMW Data Migrations, SAP Migration, SAP Business Warehouse (BW), SAP Process Integration (PI), SAP BW on HANA, Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure, SAP Data Conversion, SAP Enterprise Portal, SAP CRM, SAP Business Intelligence (BI), IBM P702, IBM SAN, Helpdesk, RISE with SAP, Cloud, ITIL V3 Foundation Certified, Web Development, JDE, Legacy Software, SAP FICO, Data Warehousing, OpenText, Customer Activity Repository (SAP CAR), SAP BusinessObjects (BO), POS, Handheld Devices, Server Backups, IBM Tivoli Storage Manager, SAP Datasphere, IT Service Management (ITSM), IT Operations Management (ITOM), Enterprise Application Design, Business Process Flow (BPF)
Collaboration That Works
How to Work with Toptal
Toptal matches you directly with global industry experts from our network in hours—not weeks or months.
1
Share your needs
Discuss your requirements and refine your scope in a call with a Toptal domain expert.
2
Choose your talent
Get a short list of expertly matched talent within 24 hours to review, interview, and choose from.
3
Start your risk-free talent trial
Work with your chosen talent on a trial basis for up to two weeks. Pay only if you decide to hire them.
Top talent is in high demand.
Start hiring