Krishnakumar Thangaswamy
Vice President - SAP Application Lead
Summary
Dynamic senior SAP technology leader with 20+ years of experience driving enterprise-wide SAP S/4HANA transformations across multi-country environments. Recognized as a Techno-Functional SME in NON-FICO domains (MM, SD, PS, PM, REFX, MDG), Ariba with strong FI/CO integration expertise, combining deep functional knowledge of finance and controlling processes with advanced technical skills in ABAP debugging, enhancements, and Fiori/BTP development. Proven track record in production stability and risk management, leading mission-critical incident resolution, root cause analysis, and permanent fixes to safeguard financial operations and compliance. Trusted advisor to executive stakeholders, delivering high-impact digital transformation initiatives while ensuring robust governance, cross-module integration, and long-term maintainability. Extensive experience in building and scaling SAP Centers of Excellence (CoE), mentoring consultants in debugging and technical analysis, and institutionalizing best practices for risk mitigation, audit readiness, and financial governance across global organizations spanning 13+ countries.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
SAP MM Senior Consultant
ECC Implementation
- Designed end-to-end procurement processes and large-scale release strategies (50,000+ configurations).
- Developed functional specifications for custom programs and workflows.
- Led UAT, data migration (LSMW/BDC), and authorization design.
- Delivered workflow automation for procurement approvals and compliance
Vice President
Enterprise Core Systems
06.2025 - Current
- Act as enterprise SAP NON-FICO authority, leading resolution of complex production incidents through advanced ABAP debugging (programs, function modules, user exits, BAdIs, and enhancement framework).
- Drive root cause analysis (RCA) for production-critical issues, implementing permanent fixes to enhance system stability and prevent recurrence.
- Review and optimize custom code and enhancements for performance, robustness, and compliance with development standards and Clean Core principles.
- Act as SAP SME for core modules (MM, SD, PS, PM, REFX, MDG), driving cross-module issue resolution and providing technical leadership to ensure seamless integration and enterprise-wide data consistency.
- Serve as key decision-maker in architecture and change advisory forums, evaluating solution design, technical risks, and long-term maintainability.
- Lead global template rollouts by onboarding non-SAP entities onto SAP S/4HANA across Asia, Europe, UK, and USA, driving standardization and seamless cross-region integration.
- Delivered two SAP S/4HANA technical upgrade programs, ensuring comprehensive validation of custom objects (enhancements, interfaces, code) and alignment with Clean Core strategy.
- Spearheaded 50+ digital and automation initiatives, including Fiori/BTP applications, user onboarding, and access management solutions, reducing manual effort by 35% and improving compliance and operational efficiency globally
Senior Manager
SAP Projects
02.2021 - 05.2025
- Led end-to-end SAP S/4HANA transformation (including MDG, VIM, GRC), achieving 100% on-time and on-budget go-live.
- Directed enterprise-wide Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) and SAP roadmap strategy.
- Managed complex cross-functional integration across finance, procurement, and operations modules.
- Established governance frameworks for SAP delivery, including coding standards, transport management, and documentation practices.
- Established ITSM practices using ServiceNow, JIRA, and Zoho for structured incident and problem management, improving SLA compliance from 80% to 98% monthly, significantly enhancing production stability and risk control
Manager / Assistant Manager
SAP Projects
10.2011 - 05.2021
- Built and scaled SAP Center of Excellence (CoE), growing team to 10+ consultants supporting enterprise-wide SAP landscape.
- Led SAP ECC and SAP BPC implementation across 13 countries, including global rollouts and localization.
- Delivered multiple integration programs connecting SAP with enterprise platforms (finance, real estate, operations systems).
- Acted as escalation point for critical production issues, guiding teams in debugging and resolution
SAP Consulting Experience
01.2005 - 01.2011
- Led SAP MM implementations, rollouts, and enhancements across multiple industries.
- Delivered solution architecture, integration design, and production support.
- Executed data migration strategies and developed custom reports and workflows.
- Provided Level 2/3 support, resolving complex production issues across modules.
- Designed and implemented SAP workflows for grant management and procurement approvals
Education
B. TECH - Information Technology
Amrita Institute of Technology and Science, Anna University
Tamil Nadu, India01.2005
Skills
SAP TECHNO-FUNCTIONAL LEADERSHIP
Non-FICO SME (MM, SD, PM, PS, REFX) with strong FI/CO integration expertise
ABAP & Fiori development: programs, function modules, BAdIs, user exits, CDS, OData and custom Fiori apps
Root cause analysis (RCA) and rapid production issue resolution
Oversight of SAP enhancement framework and custom development
Performance optimization and code review governance
ARCHITECTURE & GOVERNANCE
SAP S/4HANA & ECC solution architecture and global template design
Enterprise design authority for cross-module integrations
Change advisory, technical risk assessment, and governance enforcement
SAP MDG, Ariba, VIM, BTP deployment and optimization
SAP Fiori, low-code platforms, and workflow automation
AI-enabled automation: SAP Joule, Microsoft Copilot StudioWorkflow automation
Business process re-engineering and process automation initiatives
LEADERSHIP & CAPABILITY BUILDING
CoE setup and scaling
Mentoring, coaching, and talent development for consultants
Knowledge management, performance management, and succession planning
Accomplishments
- Spearheaded SAP S/4HANA transformation across 13 countries, achieving full system integration and governance compliance.
- Founded and scaled the SAP Center of Excellence (CoE), elevating delivery quality and reducing external vendor reliance through the development of high-caliber in-house technical expertise.
- Oversaw enterprise IT operations and critical incident management, ensuring rapid response, root-cause resolution, and SLA adherence to maintain production stability.
- Delivered 30+ SAP Fiori and BTP digital applications, automating manual workflows, accelerating approval processes, and enhancing user experience.
TOOLS & TECHNOLOGIES
- SAP: SAP S/4HANA, ECC, MDG, Ariba, VIM, GRC
- Programming Languages: SAP ABAP/Workflow/ SAP Fiori
- Integration: APIs, IDOCs, EDI, ALE
- Incident, Project Management: ServiceNow, JIRA, Zoho, Monday.com
- Tools: AI Automation Tools
Timeline
Vice President
Enterprise Core Systems
06.2025 - Current
Senior Manager
SAP Projects
02.2021 - 05.2025
Manager / Assistant Manager
SAP Projects
10.2011 - 05.2021
SAP Consulting Experience
01.2005 - 01.2011
SAP MM Senior Consultant
ECC Implementation
B. TECH - Information Technology
Amrita Institute of Technology and Science, Anna University