Large-Scale Data Foundation & Transformation Program

Situation

A global organization was undertaking a major modernization of its data and analytics landscape, transitioning from a legacy Amazon Redshift architecture to a Databricks-based data lake supporting enterprise reporting through Power BI.

While the target-state vision was clear, the client faced challenges sourcing senior data talent capable of operating at both strategic and delivery levels within a long-term transformation program. They required immediate support to design and execute a scalable three-layer data architecture (Bronze, Silver, Gold) while maintaining continuity of existing reporting and minimizing risk. Budget constraints and delivery pressure meant the client needed highly experienced resources who could accelerate progress without extensive onboarding or oversight. The program was structured as a three-year transformation initiative beginning in August 2024, with a strong emphasis on data modeling, governance, and operational excellence.

Solution

We partnered with the client to deliver and manage a highly specialized delivery team aligned to the program’s scale and complexity. Over the course of the engagement, we deployed 18 senior professionals: 14 Senior Data Modelers, one Senior Data Project Manager, one Senior Data Governance Project Manager, and two Data Engineers.

The team supported the phased rollout of the Databricks-based platform, establishing ingestion pipelines and Bronze/Silver layers before delivering curated Gold-layer data models optimized for enterprise analytics and Power BI consumption. Our delivery approach emphasized strong data modeling discipline, close alignment with business stakeholders, and seamless collaboration with internal teams. As part of the solution, we embedded FAIR data principles into the platform design and delivery. This included consistent metadata standards, clear business definitions, lineage transparency, and governed access controls to ensure data was findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable across the organization.

Result

The client successfully established a scalable, governed data platform capable of supporting current and future analytics needs. Legacy Redshift dependencies were progressively reduced, improving performance, data quality, and confidence in enterprise reporting. Our ability to supply experienced, delivery-ready resources enabled the client to maintain momentum throughout the three-year program without disruption. The quality of the data models, adherence to FAIR principles, and consistency of delivery were recognized by senior stakeholders as key contributors to the program’s success, positioning the client with a robust foundation for advanced analytics and long -term data-driven decision-making.